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What
is a keratoacanthoma?
A keratoacanthoma is a fairly common benign neoplasm of the skin. It
arises mainly in sun-damaged skin. It may mimic squamous cell carcinoma.
Symptoms
of keratoacanthoma
A keratoacanthoma starts characteristically at a site of minor trauma
of the skin. It starts as a small papule that may mimic a pimple or
pustule. The core of an early keratoacanthoma, however, is solid. It
typically grows rapidly and it may measure up to 3 cm in diameter in a
few weeks time. A typical keratoacanthoma is a dome-shaped papule or
volcano-like tumor with a crater filled with keratin.
What
is
the cause of keratoacanthoma?
Keratoacanthomas probably arise from hair follicle cells. The cells are
thought to be triggered to multiply after a minor injury of the skin.
After a rapid growth that may continue for weeks to months the tumor
will go in self-destruction.
Treatment
Keratoacanthomas
should always be treated. One of the main reasons for
this is that it is not always possible to be absolutely sure the lesion
is a keratoacanthoma and not a squamous cell carcinoma. Even a
pathologist may have problems to differentiate between the benign
keratoacanthoma and the malignant squamous cell carcinoma. Also,
the scar which results from treating a keratoacanthoma is in most cases
better than if it is left to resolve spontaneously.
Excision is
the treatment of choice. Other treatment options are
freezing, curettage, cautery and radiotherapy.
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