Cutaneous horn: a retrospective histopathological study of 222 cases.

BACKGROUND Cutaneous horn is a keratotic, conical and circumscribed lesion that can hide both benign or malignant lesions. OBJECTIVE To identify,from a histopathological point of view, the main clinical dermatoses that are presented ,from a clinical point of view, as cutaneous horn. METHODS RETROSPECTIVE HISTOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY OF 222 CASES OF CUTANEOUS HORNS THAT WERE CLASSIFIED AS SUCH BY ANATOMICAL-PATHOLOGICAL REPORTS OF THE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL (HOSPITAL DE CLINICAS DE UBERLANDIA) FROM 1990 TO 2006. RESULTS The average age of patients was 67,42. The female sex was more affected (64,86%). The average time of clinical evolution was 16,92 months. Lesions were mostly frequent located on the head (35,14%) and upper limbs (31,08%). Histopathological analysis considered 41,44 % of the lesions as benign and 58,56% as pre-malignant or malignant among the 222 cases of cutaneous horns studied. Within the group of pre-malignant lesions, actinic keratosis was found in 83,84% of the cases; within the group of malignant lesions, squamous cell carcinoma was found in 93,75% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS This study showed that the majority of cutaneosus horns occured in areas of the body that are exposed to the sun, predominantly head and upper limbs. Considering the high frequency of pre-malignant lesions and also the presence of malignant lesions it is suggested surgical exeresis followed by histopathological study of the cutaneous horns for confirmation of specific diagnosis.