The progression of prostatic adenocarcinoma from localized disease to metastatic carcinoma appears to be a multi-step sequence. The expression of common oncogenes/oncosuppressor genes and the mediating effect of neuroendocrine tumor cells may play a role in this progression. The expression of the more frequently investigated oncogenes/oncosuppressor genes (p53, c-myc, c-erbB-2, bcl-2) and the presence of neuroendocrine cells were assessed in prostatic cancer tissue from patients with localized and metastatic cancer. These oncogenes/oncosuppressor genes were evaluated according to tumor stage and grade and their relationship to one another. Grade was not related to any of the oncogene markers or to the presence of neuroendocrine cells. Advancing stage was associated with a significant increase in p53 expression, while other markers remained constant in all stages. Neuroendocrine cells, p53, c-myc, c-erbB-2 and bcl-2 were rarely co-expressed at any stage of prostate cancer.