Renal oncocytomas are benign tumors whose morphologic features may sometimes be confused with those of certain low-grade malignant neoplasms of the kidney, e.g., chromophobe cell and granular cell variants of renal carcinoma. The presence of a specific genetic abnormality might help differentiate these tumors. Because very few cytogenetic studies of renal oncocytomas have been published, we investigated a consecutive series of six such tumors. We also performed chromosome analysis on a chromophobe cell carcinoma because cytogenetic analyses of this tumor have not been previously reported. Tumor cell metaphases were analyzed after mechanical and enzyme disaggregation, in situ culture, and robotic harvesting. Clonal abnormalities were present in five of the six oncocytomas, and loss of chromosome 1 with loss of the Y chromosome occurred in two. Review of the literature disclosed four other renal oncocytomas with the 44,X,-Y,-1 karyotype. In the chromophobe cell carcinoma, we noted an abnormal clone with a del(11)(p12p15.1); similar anomalies were not observed in the renal oncocytomas. We conclude that renal oncocytomas have clonal chromosome abnormalities and that a subgroup of these tumors may be specifically associated with loss of chromosomes 1 and Y. Because this is a small series, further investigation may help establish whether cytogenetic studies can provide diagnostic and pathogenic information about renal oncocytomas.