A specific chromosome aberration in a keratoacanthoma

Specific cytogenetic changes observed in various tumors indicate that a chromosomal event may play a key role in malignant transformation. We present a patient with keratoacanthoma with a sole chromosome abnormality. The karyotype found in short-term culture was 46,XY,t(2;8)(p13;p23); a normal male chromosome complement was also found. The finding of t(2;8) as a sole anomaly suggests that this aberration is a primary change in keratoacanthoma and might be important in the pathobiology of this tumor.