Third report of t(19q)(13.4) in mesenchymal hamartoma of liver with comments on link to embryonal sarcoma.

We report the third known case of mesenchymal hamartoma of the liver (MHL) with a balanced translocation involving a common breakpoint, 19q13.4. A common clonal chromosome abnormality appears to characterize an important subset of MHL, some of which may be low-grade neoplasms. We found no consistent karyotype abnormality in a post-treatment sample of embryonal sarcoma of the liver (ESL). Reports of coexistent MHL and ESL in two patients and detection of 19q abnormalities in two ESLs appear to support Stocker's hypothesis of a histogenetic link between these two rare liver lesions. More data are needed to clarify this relationship. It is possible that MHLs are etiologically heterogenous and may be developmental disorders, disruptions, or neoplasms.