Cutaneous horn, also called keratoacanthoma, is a benign skin tumor.
It appears most frequently in Caucasian males over 50 years of age and on areas of the skin exposed to sunlight (e.g. face, neck and upper limbs). In addition to ultraviolet light, cases associated with papillomavirus or chemical carcinogens (e.g. tar and coal tar), as well as immunosuppression and genetic factors have been described.
They are usually a single lesion between 1-2.5 cm although they can be larger or multiple. They appear as a rapidly growing dome on the skin with a central crater.
Diagnosis is made by examination and biopsy of the lesion.
They frequently remit spontaneously in less than six months, leaving a hypopigmented scar. The most indicated is surgical resection with subsequent study to rule out malignancy. Curettage, daily application of 5-fluorouracil cream, corticosteroid and/or bleomycin infiltration can be performed.
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