Keratoacanthoma Skin Cancer

Keratoacanthoma

I. Definition:

Keratoacanthoma is a type of skin cancer confined to the skin. These skin tumors grow from the hair follicle and usually grow quickly. They are more common in men.

II. Causes:

Sunlight is thought to be a factor in the development of keratoacanthomas.
Keratoacanthomas are more common in people who smoke.
Sometimes minor trauma to the skin occurs before the development of a keratoacanthoma.

III. Treatment:

Keratoacanthomas are a type of skin cancer related to squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, so the recommended treatment is to have them removed surgically. Sometimes the biopsy will remove the whole tumor. If the tumor starts to come back after the skin biopsy, then the area will require surgical excision or sometimes a destructive technique such as liquid nitrogen is used. It is very important to see the doctor if a keratoacanthoma starts to come back, failure to do so could be life threatening as this type of cancer has been known to spread to the internal organs. Depending on the size of the keratoacanthoma, you may or may not require stitches.

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