Managing skin cancer below the knee

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Oncology

Background:

• A 74-year-old male patient presented with a nodule on his lower right leg.
• The patient was offered surgical options including excision and skin graft, but declined due to cost concerns.

Observation:

• The patient was referred to a major urban cancer institute for a second opinion.
• A 'watch and wait' approach was recommended, with the expectation that the nodule would resolve spontaneously.

Findings:

• The clinical diagnosis was presumed to be keratoacanthoma.
• The case highlights a non-surgical management strategy for a suspected keratoacanthoma.

Implications:

• This case illustrates an alternative approach to managing keratoacanthoma when surgical intervention is not feasible or desired.
• It underscores the importance of considering conservative management options in dermatological oncology.