[Keratoacanthoma of the external ear]

Six hundred and seventy-eight keratoacanthomas were treated in Hornheide during the past 30 years. Nearly 10% (67) were located on the auricles. One patient suffered from two tumors. The records of 8 patients were lost. Fifty-two of the remaining 59 cases involved males and only 7 patients were female. There was a striking difference between the sex incidence of the patients with auricular tumors and the overall total of the keratoacanthomas, with a nearly equal involvement of both sexes in the latter. The growth time of lesions before treatment was mostly defined in weeks or even days. The prevalence increased with age and only 2 patients were younger than 50 years. Therapy depended on growth stage, tumor diameter and localization. Therapeutic measurements ranged from excessive surgical treatment to no treatment. In practise, special dermato-oncologic experience is necessary for making any decisions concerning the best method of treatment.