Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, or IMT, forms in tissues called mucosal surfaces and mesentery. Mucosal surfaces are found in your eyes, nose, mouth, digestive tract, lungs, and genital and urinary tracts. Mesentery connects the organs in your abdomen. IMT usually starts in the lungs but may begin in the bladder, uterus, larynx, stomach, liver, or intestine. IMT may also be called inflammatory fibrosarcoma or IMFT.
IMT is named for two types of cells in the tumor. IMT forms from a type of cell called a myofibroblast. Myofibroblasts help keep the shape of organs and heal wounds. IMTs also contain a lot of immune cells, making the tumor look “inflamed” like an infection.
IMT is usually benign, meaning that it is not cancer and these tumor cells usually do not travel to other parts the body. However, IMT can invade nearby tissue and cause a lot of problems. IMT can grow in the way of important organs such as the lung or stomach. In very rare cases, IMT can spread to distant organs. IMTs are mostly found in children and young adults but can occur at any age.
Courtesy: Health Line
