Detailed cytogenetic analysis was performed of a xenografted human prostatic adenocarcinoma cell line PC-82. A direct preparation method was developed that yielded metaphases of good quality. Flow cytometric data and banding analysis of metaphases showed a near-tetraploid karyotype with 18 consistent marker chromosomes. As a result of the rearrangements involved, parts of chromosomes 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10, 15, 18, and 21 were homozygous, while regions on 2p, 13q, and 17q were apparently completely lost. In contrast to this, some regions on #2, #5, and, especially, on #1 were present in three or even four times the normal copy number. Comparison of affected chromosomes in PC-82 with all data available on prostatic carcinoma showed chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, and 15 to be involved in rearrangements in over 50% of all prostatic carcinomas. When only data from primary prostatic adenocarcinomas (including PC-82) were taken into account it appeared that chromosomes 1, 7, and 10 were involved in all five primary tumors studied.