A hamartia is a focal malformation consisting of disorganized arrangement of tissue types that are normally present in the anatomical area.Dorlands Medical Dictionary
/ref> A hamartia is not considered to be a

tumor A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...

, and is distinct from a

hamartoma A hamartoma is a mostly benign, local malformation of cells that resembles a neoplasm of local tissue but is usually due to an overgrowth of multiple aberrant cells, with a basis in a systemic genetic condition, rather than a growth descended fr ...

, which describes a benign

neoplasm A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...

characterized by tissue misarrangement similar to a hamartia (i.e., tissue types that are typical of the area but arranged in an atypical manner).

References

{{reflist Dermal and subcutaneous growths Anatomical pathology