Cytogenetic investigation of a malignant ovarian tumor diagnosed as a
mixed germ-cell tumor, composed of extensive choriocarcinoma and foci
of yolk-sac tumor, revealed a highly abnormal chromosomal pattern. We
found a chromosome number in the hypertriploid/hypotetraploid range, a
nd several clonal structural abnormalities, including 2 copies of an i
sochromosome 12p. We showed that the chromosomal pattern of this ovari
an tumor is very similar to that of testicular germ-cell tumors. This
finding, together with reported cytogenetic data of malignant ovarian
germ-cell tumors, supports the hypothesis that ovarian and testicular
germ-cell tumors ave strongly related entities that may have a similar
origin and pathogenetic pathway. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.