what is hamartoma

A hamartoma is a benign (noncancerous) tumor-like malformation made up of an abnormal mixture of cells and tissues found in areas of the body where growth occurs. Most hamartomas are usually benign, but they can cause morbidity by various mechanisms such as infection, infarction, pressure/obstruction, hemorrhage/anemia, fracture, and neoplastic transformation. Hamartomas can grow almost anywhere on the body and are typically found in the lungs, hypothalamus, breast, colon, and other areas. They are difficult to diagnose without proper testing and can resemble cancerous tumors, so tests such as X-ray imaging, CT scan, MRI scan, mammogram, electroencephalography (EEG), and ultrasound may be used to differentiate between benign growths and cancerous tumors. While most hamartomas do not cause symptoms and are not serious, if they grow large enough to cause symptoms, surgery is usually the recommended treatment.