Hamartoma

Also known as: benign tumor, non-cancerous tumor.

What is hamartoma?

A Hamartoma is a benign, or noncancerous tumor. It is a mixture of normal tissues/cells that grow abnormally in the place where the tissue/cells normally are found. They are quite common and can occur anywhere in the body but are most frequently found in the head, neck, heart and around the ears.
 

What causes hamartoma? 

The cause is unknown.  Some however, if they have an abnormal gene (PTEN gene) are classified as hamartoma tumor syndrome (PHTS), have different names, may have different symptoms, and are hereditary and run in families.
 

What are symptoms of hamartoma?

Depending on their position and size, there may be no symptoms.
Symptoms from pressure on surrounding tissues, or symptoms (like early puberty) from their effect on the organ they occupy.
 

What are hamartoma care options?

In most cases, hamartomas do not require treatment, only careful monitoring. Hamartomas that are causing symptoms may be removed surgically.

Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: March 20, 2019 03:59 PM