Successful Treatment of Generalized Eruptive Keratoacanthoma of Grzybowski with Acitretin

Unique Lesions on the Dorsum of the Hands: A Quiz

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Interventional treatment of keratoacanthoderma: a case report

This current case report describes a 56-year-old male patient with a skin mass on his lip that had been growing for 1 year. The pathological findings demonstrated that the epidermis was characterized by hyperkeratosis, hyperplasia and hypertrophy and was formed in the shape of a crater. The skin on both ends had developed into a ball-like growth that resembled a volcanic cone. There was invasive growth of heterotype squamous epithelium and a small number of inflammatory cells infiltrating the dermis. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated an increase in P16 (the focus, +) and the hot spot Ki-67 index. The diagnosis was of tumour-like hyperplasia, malignancy and moderate-to-severe dysplasia confirming that it was keratoacanthoma. The patient underwent surgical resection and was discharged from hospital, but the tumour returned. Paclitaxel and cisplatin were administered intraoperatively and bilateral lingual artery perfusion chemoembolization was undertaken six times. This procedure led to an excellent postoperative recovery and discharge from hospital. Tumour therapy was regarded as successful. The patient's medical history included acute lymphoblastic leukaemia L1 and long-term immunosuppressant use. After a 6-month period of follow-up, he died from systemic organ failure as a consequence of having too many ailments.

A clinical and biological review of keratoacanthoma

Keratoacanthoma (KA) is a common skin tumour that remains controversial regarding classification, epidemiology, diagnosis, prognosis and management. Classically, a KA manifests as a rapidly growing, well-differentiated, squamoid lesion with a predilection for sun-exposed sites in elderly people and a tendency to spontaneously regress. Historically, KAs have been considered a variant of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) and are often reported as KA-type cSCC. However, the penchant for regression has led many to categorize KAs as biologically benign tumours with distinct pathophysiological mechanisms from malignant cSCC. The clinical and histopathological similarities between KA and cSCC, particularly the well-differentiated variant of cSCC, have made definitive differentiation difficult or impossible in many cases. The ambiguity between entities has led to the general recommendation for surgical excision of KAs to ensure a potentially malignant cSCC is not left untreated. This current standard creates unnecessary surgical morbidity and financial strain for patients, especially the at-risk elderly population. There have been no reports of death from a definitive KA to date, while cSCC has an approximate mortality rate of 1·5%. Reliably distinguishing cSCC from KA would shift management strategies for KAs towards less-invasive treatment modalities, prevent unnecessary surgical morbidity, and likely reduce associated healthcare costs. Herein, we review the pathophysiology and clinical characteristics of KA, and conclude on the balance of current evidence that KA is a benign lesion and distinct from cSCC.

Grzybowski's Generalized Eruptive Keratoacanthomas in a Patient with Terminal Kidney Disease-An Unmet Medical Need Equally Ameliorated by Topical Imiquimod Cream and Lapacho Tea Wraps: A Case Report

Introduction

Development of singular keratoacanthoma (KA) is generally considered a benign condition as it has a tendency to regress spontaneously in spite of histological similarity to squamous cell carcinoma. Most KAs undergo excision to rule out differential diagnoses. Several alternative treatment modalities (keratinolytic, ablative, immunomodulating, antiproliferative, or targeted therapy) have been described in the past with varying success, underlining the therapeutic challenges associated with large or multiple lesions. Isomorphic response (Koebner phenomenon) may limit the efficacy of ablative options, and comorbidity may limit the use of systemic treatments. Less aggressive topical immunomodulatory treatment options represent an alternative with varying therapeutic success.

Case Report

Here, we describe the clinical course of a 51-year-old male patient with terminal kidney disease who suffered from the rare benign pruritic condition of Grzybowski’s generalized eruptive keratoacanthomas (GEKA) and experienced a significant reduction of lesions and symptoms upon topical therapy with imiquimod 5% cream and lapacho tea dressings alike.

Conclusions

Very little is known about the potential antiinflammatory or antiproliferative effects on the epidermis of the popular phytotherapeutic agent lapacho tea. More studies are warranted considering both the etiology and treatment of GEKA and topical use of phytotherapeutics in dermatology in general. Management of large or multiple KAs remains challenging.

Case for diagnosis. A pruritic eruption of keratotic papules over the face and neck

Generalized eruptive keratoacanthoma of Grzybowski is a rare variant of multiple keratoacanthomas counting with about 40 cases reported. It is a chronic and progressive disease for which none of the described therapeutic options has been entirely satisfactory. We report a case of an 83-year-old female who presented with a 3-month history of extremely pruritic, multiple, skin-coloured to erythematous to brownish, millimetric papules, with a keratotic centre. Histological examination of an incisional biopsy was consistent with the diagnosis of keratoacanthoma. The patient started acitretin 25 milligrams daily with a complete resolution of pruritus and regression of numerous lesions.

The third-generation retinoid adapalene triggered DNA damage to induce S-phase arrest in HaCat cells

Epidermal proliferative diseases consisted of a series of common skin diseases, most of which were recurrent chronic skin diseases, and had greatly negative influence on the life quality of patient. Retinoids exhibited vital roles in the treatment of many skin diseases. Our recent study demonstrated that adapalene significantly inhibited the growth of HaCat cells, and the inhibitory activity was stronger than other retinoids, such as all-trans-retinoic acid, acitretin, isotretinoin, tazarotene, and bexarotene. Further study showed that adapalene suppressed the colony formation of HaCat cells, and it dramatically triggered S-phase arrest and apoptosis, rather than G1 phase arrest which was reported in other retinoids in several studies. Additionally, adapalene treatment greatly upregulated the protein expression of DNA damage marker γ-H2AX, which was in accord with the results of the elongation of tail moment by comet electrophoresis analysis. Moreover, DNA damage was triggered and DNA repair was suppressed synchronously with adapalene treatment, which accounted for the mechanism of S-phase arrest induced by adapalene. In summary, our recent work demonstrated that adapalene showed strong anti-proliferation activity in HaCat cells and could be an alternative agent for the epidermal proliferative disease.