Benign Lung Tumour

Q: What are the symptoms of a benign lung tumour?

Common symptoms of benign lung tumours include a persistent cough, chest pain and shortness of breath. Other symptoms can include fatigue, weight loss and hoarseness. However, in many cases, patients are often asymptomatic.

Q: What is the most common type of benign lung tumour?

Pulmonary hamartomas are one of the most common benign lung nodules. They are typically slow-growing and non-cancerous and may be either parenchymal or endobronchial. Parenchymal hamartomas are located in the organ tissue of the lung, while endobronchial hamartomas are located within the bronchial tubes. Although these tumours are usually non-cancerous, they can sometimes cause other complications and require intervention.

Q: What are a few rare benign lung tumours?

Rare types of benign tumours include: Adenomatoid , made up of a proliferation of small, round cells, usually occurs in the lower lobes of the lungs. Typically found in young adults, the tumour usually has no symptoms and can be treated with surgical benign lung tumour removal. Leiomyomas are composed of smooth muscle cells and are typically found in the lungs. They are generally small and asymptomatic and do not usually require treatment. Lymphangioma are cysts lined by lymphatic endothelial cells found in the lower lobes of the lungs and are usually asymptomatic. Treatment typically involves surgery. Benign carcinoid lung tumours are slow-growing neuroendocrine cells that are asymptomatic and treated with surgical resection. Peripheral neuroendocrine tumours consist of neuroendocrine cells that do not present with symptoms and are usually treated with surgical removal. Ossifying fibroma is a connective tissue lesion that is often mistaken as malignant. They usually do not cause any symptoms and are surgically removed.

Q: Are nodes on your lungs always cancerous?

While abnormal large nodes or masses in the lung can be a sign of cancer cells, they can also be caused by other conditions such as infections, inflammation or benign pulmonary nodules. It is vital to have any abnormal growths in the lung evaluated by a thoracic specialist to diagnose the condition properly. Read more about lung nodule treatments .

A benign lung tumour is a non-malignant growth absent of cancerous cells and does not metastasise to other body parts. If intervention is required, our surgeons at Neumark Lung & Chest Surgical Centre may perform uniportal video-assisted or robotic thoracic surgical procedures for benign lung tumour removal. It is important to discuss treatment options with a thoracic specialist to achieve the best possible clinical outcome.

What is a Benign Lung Tumour

Benign lung tumours are usually small, and most patients are asymptomatic. Often these tumours are not cancerous, even if the cells’ growth is considered abnormal. When a pathologist diagnoses a lesion as unlikely to have malignant cells, the tumour has a low chance of spreading to different body parts. However, it can still invade the surrounding tissue.

Benign tumours can either remain stable in size or enlarge slowly and push on surrounding tissues. Despite the low chances of benign tumours being cancerous (<5%), it is still important to see a thoracic surgeon to differentiate between benign and malignant tumours as early as possible.

Lung Screenings to Detect Benign Lung Tumours

Most benign tumours are incidentally discovered on a chest x-ray when you are evaluated for respiratory or other conditions. Most patients are unaware that lung screenings should be a part of their ongoing medical check-ups, especially in higher-risk populations.

We typically think of lung cancer as a disease of smokers, but it also afflicts people who have never smoked. In Singapore, lung cancer is the third most common form of cancer for men and women.

At Neumark, we provide a comprehensive Lung Screening Programme with a range of diagnostic and functional tests to detect benign and cancerous tumours. At the core of our lung screening is a 10-minute low-dose (CT) scan.

Benign Lung Tumour Removal

Most benign lung tumours do not require surgical intervention. However, tumours can progress through several changes to become cancerous. These pre-cancerous changes can be seen in benign cases, prompting resection to confirm the diagnosis to prevent the possibility of the tumour transitioning into a cancerous state or to alleviate symptoms.

If the benign lung tumour appears suspicious or is large in size, our thoracic surgeon may recommend minimally-invasive surgical resection through:

Robotic thoracic surgery with the Da Vinci robotic system. Our expert surgeon’s hands guide the surgical instruments to perform highly-precise procedures.
Uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery is an advanced thoracoscopic technique to remove pulmonary nodules, offering patients a less invasive procedure with minimal incisions to facilitate optimal lung nodule removal recovery.

At Neumark Lung & Chest Surgical Centre, our leading team is equipped with the latest techniques for detecting, testing, removing abnormal lung growths and managing other lung diseases and chest conditions.

Patients who seek treatment at Neumark have access to the expertise of Dr Harish Mithiran, director and senior consultant thoracic surgeon at Gleneagles Hospital. Our patients benefit from personalised care coordination and groundbreaking minimally-invasive treatment modalities to improve outcomes.

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FAQs about Benign Lung Tumours

What are the symptoms of a benign lung tumour?

Common symptoms of benign lung tumours include a persistent cough, chest pain and shortness of breath. Other symptoms can include fatigue, weight loss and hoarseness. However, in many cases, patients are often asymptomatic.

What is the most common type of benign lung tumour?

Pulmonary hamartomas are one of the most common benign lung nodules. They are typically slow-growing and non-cancerous and may be either parenchymal or endobronchial. Parenchymal hamartomas are located in the organ tissue of the lung, while endobronchial hamartomas are located within the bronchial tubes. Although these tumours are usually non-cancerous, they can sometimes cause other complications and require intervention.

What are a few rare benign lung tumours?

Rare types of benign tumours include:

Adenomatoid, made up of a proliferation of small, round cells, usually occurs in the lower lobes of the lungs. Typically found in young adults, the tumour usually has no symptoms and can be treated with surgical benign lung tumour removal.
Leiomyomas are composed of smooth muscle cells and are typically found in the lungs. They are generally small and asymptomatic and do not usually require treatment.
Lymphangioma are cysts lined by lymphatic endothelial cells found in the lower lobes of the lungs and are usually asymptomatic. Treatment typically involves surgery.
Benign carcinoid lung tumours are slow-growing neuroendocrine cells that are asymptomatic and treated with surgical resection.
Peripheral neuroendocrine tumours consist of neuroendocrine cells that do not present with symptoms and are usually treated with surgical removal.
Ossifying fibroma is a connective tissue lesion that is often mistaken as malignant. They usually do not cause any symptoms and are surgically removed.

Are nodes on your lungs always cancerous?

While abnormal large nodes or masses in the lung can be a sign of cancer cells, they can also be caused by other conditions such as infections, inflammation or benign pulmonary nodules. It is vital to have any abnormal growths in the lung evaluated by a thoracic specialist to diagnose the condition properly. Read more about lung nodule treatments.

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Lung and Chest Centre in Singapore

Neumark Lung and Chest Surgery Centre benefits from the expertise of a multidisciplinary team led by Dr Harish Mithiran, senior consulting thoracic surgeon at Gleneagles Hospital.

Neumark is a lung specialist centre with access to leading treatment modalities to achieve the best possible outcomes for lung disease and preventative patient screening. Our foremost priority is to treat your condition as effectively as possible. Schedule a private consultation today; complete the form below, call, +65 6908 2145; WhatsApp, +65 9726 2485; or email, info@neumarksurgery.com.