A cytogenetic study of an eccrine spiradenoma and two lymph node metastases, with a growth pattern and microscopic appearance typical for benign eccrine spiradenoma, revealed a 46,XY-5,del(16)(q22),+mar(t(?;5)(?::5q13----5qter)) karyotype. The finding of the same abnormal karyotype in the tumor and the metastases suggests a relationship between the chromosomal abnormalities and the clinical malignant behavior of this morphologic benign tumor.