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Keratoacanthoma: clinical and histopathologic features of regression
Christine J Ko1, Jennifer M McNiff, Marcus Bosenberg
1Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. christine.ko@yale.edu
Background:
The clinical and histopathologic features of regressing keratoacanthomas have not been adequately described in the literature.
Objective:
"True" keratoacanthomas (ie, squamous tumors with evidence of spontaneous resolution) were studied clinically and histopathologically.
Methods:
Nineteen crateriform tumors with a partial biopsy histopathologically compatible with keratoacanthoma were followed over time for correlation with biologic behavior (ie, regression). Tumors displaying spontaneous resolution, arbitrarily defined as a decrease in size of at least 25%, were categorized as keratoacanthomas.
Results:
Seven regressing keratoacanthomas tended to show flattening before a decrease in diameter. Histopathologically, there was variable epidermal hyperplasia with generally prominent hyperkeratosis, retained crateriform architecture, and dermal fibrosis.
Limitations:
This study has a small sample size.
Conclusions:
Regressing keratoacanthomas show persistent crateriform architecture, clinically and histopathologically. Lesions become flatter before decreasing in diameter, and keratinocytes appear banal and lack glassy pink cytoplasm during regression.
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