A hamartoma is mostly a benign mass of disorganized tissue native to a particular anatomical location. Most hamartomas are usually benign, but malignant transformation may occur. Hamartomas can grow almost anywhere on the body and typically are found in the lungs, hypothalamus, breast, colon, etc.
Most cases are asymptomatic and discovered incidentally while evaluating other medical conditions. Hamartomas cause morbidity by various mechanisms such as; infection, infarction, pressure/obstruction, hemorrhage/anemia, fracture, and neoplastic transformation.
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