Keratoacanthoma can be defined as low grade malignant skin growth which rarely grows into cancerous cells. This disease is less common and it occurs on 1 person in 1000 on average. However this disease serves as the indication for autosomal familial cancer syndrome. Often it is seen only on fair complexioned people and men are more prone to get this problem than women.
Keratoacanthoma proceeds slowly in the form of skin growth which appears as small lesions or lumps. It can be considered as less famous type of cell cancer and it causes nominal injury to the skin. Only in rare cases it spreads deeply into the lymph nodes.
Symptoms :
Small tiny lesions are seen on the back of hands, face, ears, and lower legs and even on scalp. It is a slow process and it may take 4-6 weeks for the lesions to develop on the skin. It starts as small dome shaped lesions that have a groove in the center. The size of the bumps may vary from 1-3 cm in diameter. After some weeks, the lesions shrink leaving behind a scar on the skin. It will be itchy but mostly it would not cause any pain. It may be either single spreading evenly on the skin or form as cluster on the same place.
Causes :
Exposure to sunlight is the main cause for getting keratoacanthoma. Certain chemicals and allergens can also trigger formation of red lesions. Injury or trauma can be the reason for getting KC. It starts on single hair follicle on the skin and slowly spreads to other follicles damaging more and more skin. This disease resembles very much like squamous cell carcinoma or symptoms of Muir Torre syndrome.
Who Are At Risk?
Those who are working in environment that has lot of pitch and tar molecules may get keratoacanthoma cancer. Exposure to sunlight can aggravate this disease. It can be caused due to genetic factor and those who are predisposed to this disease from their parents.