[Hamartoma of the lung: an analysis of 24 cases]

Hamartoma is one of the most common benign tumors in the lung, and most of the lung hamartomas are located in the parenchyma. This report reviews 24 cases with this kind of tumor. The male-female ratio was 1.4:1 and the mean age 46.4 years. Sixteen patients of the 24 were asymptomatic, while in the remainder cases chest pain or distress, cough, short breath or hemoptysis were presented. Lung hamartoma is usually composed of cartilage, fat, smooth muscle and respiratory epithelium. X-ray findings of the parenchymal type in these cases were characterized by a round or oval sharply outlined mass, but only one with a mass in the shape of a dumbbell. 33% cases showed calcification. In 19 cases the mass was < 3.0 cm diameter (79%) and in 17 it was located in the superficial edge of the lung. The diagnosis was confirmed in only 6 cases preoperatively. The other cases were misdiagnosed as lung cancer, tuberculoma, metastatic tumors of the lung, etc. Enucleation or wedge resection is desirable for this kind of tumor.