A lesion involving nodules of connective tissue intersected by epithelial clefts is which diagnosis?

Prepare for your CVP and GI Pathology Exam. Study using flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations to excel in your test.

This pattern reflects a hamartoma. A hamartoma is a benign overgrowth of mature tissues that are normally present in the region, arranged in a disorganized, haphazard way. Seeing nodules of connective tissue with epithelial strands or clefts interspersed among them fits that idea: mesenchymal (connective tissue) nodules laid out with epithelial elements weaving through create a disorganized architecture rather than a true neoplastic epithelial proliferation.

This differs from an adenocarcinoma, which would show malignant gland-forming epithelium with cytologic atypia and invasion; a fibroma would be mainly dense connective tissue with little or no epithelial elements organized into clefts; and a granuloma would show granulomatous inflammation with macrophages and giant cells rather than epithelial-clefted connective tissue nodules.