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Vulvar keratoacanthoma

Ferda Ozkan1, Remziye Bilgiç, Suna Cesur

  • 1Department of Pathology, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey. drozkanferda@yahoo.com

APMIS : Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica, Et Immunologica Scandinavica
|August 16, 2006
PubMed

Insights

A rare keratoacanthoma, a benign skin lesion, was found on the vulva of a 33-year-old woman. Recognizing its unique features is crucial to prevent misdiagnosis as vulvar cancer.

Area of Science:

  • Dermatopathology
  • Gynecologic Oncology

Background:

  • Keratoacanthomas are typically found on sun-exposed skin in older individuals.
  • Vulvar keratoacanthomas are exceptionally rare, with limited documented cases.

Observation:

  • A 33-year-old woman presented with a rapidly growing 1 cm exophytic clitoral lesion.
  • Histopathology revealed a squamous proliferation with a central keratin-filled crater and benign cytologic features.

Findings:

  • The vulvar keratoacanthoma exhibited pushing margins, few mitotic figures, low Ki-67 proliferation index, and no p53 overexpression.
  • These features are distinct from those of squamous cell carcinoma.

Implications:

  • The rarity of vulvar keratoacanthoma poses a diagnostic challenge, potentially leading to misdiagnosis as squamous cell carcinoma.
  • Increased awareness of this condition and its histopathologic characteristics is vital to avoid unnecessary radical surgery.

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