Cytogenetic and molecular genetic studies were performed on a pleomorphic sarcoma removed from the left atrium of a 15-year-old girl. Histologic analysis was consistent with a storiform-pleomorphic malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH). Although MFH is the most common soft-tissue sarcoma of late adulthood. It is extremely rare in childhood and its existence in the pediatric population remains controversial. Cytogenetic analysis revealed several alterations previously associated with adult MFH, including abnormalities of chromosomal bands 11p11 and 19p13. Moreover, the tumor demonstrated homogeneously staining regions (HSR) and double minute chromosomes (dmin) suggestive of gene amplification. We therefore screened the case for amplification of genes localized to chromosomal bands 12q13-14, including the putative protooncogenes MDM2, CDK4, SAS, CHOP, and CLI, which are frequently amplified and overexpressed in adult MFH. Southern and Northern blot analysis confirmed the coamplification of MDM2, CDK4, SAS, and CHOP. To our knowledge, such coamplification studies of the 12q13-14 amplicon have not been previously detected in pediatric MFH. Our results provide cytogenetic and molecular genetic evidence that pediatric and adult MFH are histogenetically related entities.