Image: Shutterstock/ Kateryna Kon
Cancer is something that everyone worries about. So, many people know that they should be aware of the risk of tumors. But sometimes, you can develop growths that are similar to tumors but aren’t actual tumors. These growths are called hamartomas. And while a hamartoma doesn’t have the same risks as tumors, they can be dangerous.
So, what exactly is a hamartoma? What are the symptoms? And what can you do to treat them?
What Is A Hamartoma?
A hamartoma is formed when the cells in the body begin to collect at a single site. This is different than tumors, which form when the cells in a certain part of your body’s tissue being to multiply too rapidly and form a solid mass. But this distinction is sort of cloudy because while many forms of hamartoma don’t begin to grow in the same way as a tumor, they have to potential to do so.
The primary distinction between these two types of growths seems to be whether or not the tissue grows spontaneously as a result of cell replication (tumors) or whether it’s formed from a mixed collection of tissue and cells from other parts of the body that collect into a single mass (hamartomas).
We don’t know what causes hamartomas to form. But the answer could be that some people are genetically more likely to develop them because of the way the genes affect the multiplication of cells.
Hamartomas can develop nearly anywhere, but they are most common inside the lungs. In fact, they account for most forms of noncancerous lung growths. And while they often don’t present serious problems, these lung growths can begin to compress the tissue of the lungs and lead to breathing problems.
In addition, they often form on the hypothalamus, which can interfere with the ability of your body to regulate hormones. And hamartomas can also form on the kidneys or other vital organs or in the blood vessels, which can lead to a number of different complications.
What Are The Symptoms?
The symptoms of these sorts of growths are often hard to recognize at first. And growth can continue for months or even years before any noticeable symptoms arise. Most forms are benign, which means that they don’t grow or become cancerous. So it’s unusual for someone with a hamartoma to develop the kind of systemic symptoms that we associate with cancerous tumors. And many forms don’t lead to any noticeable symptoms at all.
But hamartomas can cause serious symptoms due to the complications that can arise. If the growth is located in a blood vessel, as many are, it can begin to block the flow of blood through the blood vessel. This can lead to dangerous cardiovascular problems like high blood pressure. And if the hamartoma is located near a main artery in the heart, it can even prove fatal.
In addition, hamartomas can become infected or rupture, leading to dangerous bleeding or damage to the tissue.
In most cases, doctors find hamartomas while investigating the cause of some of these complications, or even during an examination for an unrelated condition.
How Can You Treat Them?
Many hamartomas don’t actually require any treatment. In fact, one of the greatest dangers when it comes to these kinds of growths is a misdiagnosis. Because they are so similar to tumors, many doctors can confuse the growths for dangerous tumors and recommend therapy to remove the tumor when it is unnecessary. And many treatments for tumors like chemotherapy or radiation therapy can carry their own risks to the health of the patient.
Instead, doctors who identify a growth should order tests of different enzymes to see if the tumor is actually interfering with the function of the body. And many doctors recommend careful monitoring of the growth to make sure that it isn’t expanding too rapidly.
Treatment should focus on managing any of the symptoms that the growth might be causing, like pain or bleeding instead of removing the growth. But there are times when removal is necessary, like when the growth is beginning to block blood vessels or is causing recurrent, serious symptoms.
In that case, doctors are usually able to remove hamartomas fairly easily with basic surgery. It’s often recommended that doctors test any growths they do remove to ensure that they are not actually cancerous tumors.
So, let us know. What do you think? Have you suffered from a hamartoma? What did you do to treat it? Tell us in the comments.
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