Review Article

A Sheep in Wolf’s Clothıng, or o Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing? Keratoachantoma

10.37696/nkmj.652935

  • Fatma BİLGEN
  • Alper URAL
  • Mehmet BEKERECİOGLU

Received Date: 29.11.2019 Accepted Date: 08.07.2020 Namik Kemal Med J 2020;8(2):107-116

A Keratoacanthoma is a dome-shaped, pink-colored benign skin tumor, around 1–2 cm in height with a central crater filled with keratinous plaque, that is assumed to be caused by the exposure of hair follicles to sunlight. The most prominent discussion on Keratoacanthoma is whether it is malignant or benign, and this discussion is challenging for a clinician and absorbing for a researcher, asit can play a key role in understanding cancer regression. Keratoacanthomas resemble squamous cell carcinomas, both clinically and histologically and in the resulting confusion, Keratoacanthoma can be defined as a sheep in wolf’s clothing, but can also be regarded as the wolf in the sheep’s clothing, as there is an emerging view that it could be the precursor to squamous cell carcinomas. A total or partial excision of the biopsy material, including subcutaneous fat tissue, or a fusiform partial excision, including the center and both sides along the entire course of the lesion, to represent the whole lesion. In addition, the excised biopsy material should include at least 2 mm of intact skin on both sides.

Keywords: Keratoacanthoma, malignant, benign