[Pulmonary hamartoma: atypical cases and current concept of management]

Twenty seven cases of surgically excised pulmonary hamartomas were reviewed. Patient's ages varied from twenty eight year-old to seventy seven year-old with an average of fifty three year-old. Of twenty seven cases, seventeen cases were man, seventeen cases has mass on right lung, and twenty six cases has solitary mass. While twenty five cases were asymptomatic, one case had cough, and the other cases had a history of hemoptysis (Case 3). Medical treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis had been continued unless the confirmed diagnosis on two cases. On one case followed as tuberculosis for twelve years, size of tumor shadow grew to two times bigger on chest X-ray films (Case 1). One of 27 cases showed multiple mass (Case 2). Histopathologically, twenty six cases were chondromatous hamartoma, and one case was non-chondromatous hamartoma. Pulmonary hamartoma is a benign tumor, and majority of cases are asymptomatic and not growing. On cases with presumed pulmonary hamartoma, less invasive thoracoscopic surgery seemed valuable for both therapeutic and diagnostic purpose to avoid continuous non-rational treatment and mental pressure of patient by prolonged follow up with unconfirmed diagnosis since complete differentiation from malignant neoplasm should not satisfactory on many cases.