Pigmented tumor in the nostril.

Area of Science:

• Dermatopathology
• Oncology
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• Inverted follicular keratosis (IFK) is an uncommon benign skin neoplasm.
• Pigmented variants of IFK are rare and can clinically resemble malignant lesions.
• Accurate diagnosis is crucial as IFK can mimic other proliferative skin conditions.

Observation:

• A 64-year-old male presented with a solitary, 5 mm pigmented nodular lesion within the nasal nostril.
• Initial clinical suspicion was a malignant skin tumor.
• A biopsy was performed for definitive diagnosis.

Findings:

• Histopathological examination revealed the lesion to be a pigmented inverted follicular keratosis.
• This diagnosis was unexpected based on the initial clinical presentation.
• The findings underscore the challenge in clinically differentiating IFK from other skin tumors.

Implications:

• This case emphasizes the necessity of histological evaluation for nasal pigmented lesions.
• Early and accurate diagnosis of benign lesions like IFK prevents unnecessary aggressive treatment.
• Understanding the clinical-histopathological correlation is vital for managing rare skin neoplasms.