The cytogenetic analysis of a spindle-cell rhabdomyosarcoma of the parotid gland in a 6-year-old boy is reported. The tumor cells showed an abnormal karyotype with a, hypotriploid modal chromosome number and clonal structural rearrangements affecting chromosomes 1, 8, 12, 21, and 22. The tumor karyotype was: 59,XY,-1,-3,-4,-5, -6, +8, +8, +del(8)(q22q24), -9, -10,del(12)(q13), -15, -16, -17, -18,der(21)t(12;21)(p11;p11), -22,der(22)t(1;22)(q12:p11). (C) Elsevier Science Inc,, 1999. All rights reserved.