Giant Cutaneous Horn Associated with Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Case Report

Lee, Jung Hoon

Abstract

Cutaneous horn is a morphologic designation for a projectile, conical, dense hyperkeratotic nodule that resembles the horn of an animal. The lesion varies in size from only a few millimeters to several centimeters, in color(white or yellowish) and in form (straight, curved, or twisted). It arises from a wide range of epidermal lesions, which include benign lesions, premalignant lesions and malignant lesions. An 83-year-old women came to our clinic with a giant cutaneous horn on the right chin and a small horn on the left upper eyelid. The patient had no palpable cervical lymph node. A wide elliptical skin incision was made and the horn was totally excised. In pathology, the giant cutaneous horn on the right chin revealed a moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma with subcutis invasion at its base. "Giant cutaneous horns" have often been associated with invasive squamous cell carcinoma. Cutaneous horns are common lesions usually found on the face, rarely larger than 2cm. As large cutaneous horns are often associated with underlying malignancy, histopathologic examination of the base of the lesion is necessary to rule out carcinoma and full excision is recommended.