Multiple pulmonary hamartomas with malignant transformation of a giant pulmonary hamartomas: a case report

Abstract

Pulmonary hamartomas are the most common benign tumors of the lung, typically solitary with a diameter≤4 cm, and rarely undergo malignant transformation. We reported a case of multiple pulmonary hamartomas with malignant transformation of a giant pulmonary hamartoma (approximately 10 cm×12 cm in size). The patient was a 61-year-old female who sought medical attention for the discovery of multiple lesions in the right lung during a routine examination. Computed tomography revealed multiple soft tissue density lesions in the right lung. Surgical resection was performed to remove the lower lobe of the right lung and the lesion located in the posterior segment of the right upper lobe. The pathological results indicated that the right lower lobe lesion had undergone malignant transformation to a high-grade chondrosarcoma originating from a hamartoma, while the right upper lobe lesion remained a hamartoma. By analyzing this case together with the relevant literature, we aimed to emphasize the need for clinical awareness of the malignant potential of pulmonary hamartomas.