COMPLEX KARYOTYPE IN A CHILDHOOD ADRENOCORTICAL CARCINOMA

Cytogenetic analysis of short-term cultured cells from an 11-cm adreno cortical carcinoma in a 3.5-year-old girl revealed the karyotype 46,XX ,inv(9)(p11q12)c[2]/56-57,XX, +2, +4, +5, +7, +8, inv(9)c, +10, +add(1 3)(p11), +14, +15, +19, +20, +20, +mar[cp19]. To our knowledge, this i s the first description of an abnormal karyotype in a pediatric adreno cortical tumor. Inasmuch as the distinction between benign and maligna nt adrenocortical tumors is often difficult to make from clinical and histopathologic data alone, the present findings suggest that cytogene tic analysis may be a valuable adjunct in the differential diagnosis. (C) Elsevier Science Inc., 1998