keratoacanthoma

9.9

A fast-growing skin lump often in older people that looks like cancer but usually goes away leaving a scar

noun
/ˌkɛrətəʊəˈkænθəʊmə/

Specialized

: queratoacantoma

After a few weeks, the keratoacanthoma began to shrink and eventually disappeared, leaving only a small scar.

Examples

The dermatologist diagnosed the lesion as a keratoacanthoma, reassuring the patient that it would likely resolve on its own.
Many older adults develop keratoacanthomas on sun-exposed skin.
While keratoacanthoma can look alarming, it's important to distinguish it from more dangerous skin cancers.
The doctor diagnosed her with a keratoacanthoma.
The dermatologist diagnosed the lesion as a keratoacanthoma, reassuring the patient that it would likely resolve on its own.
Many older adults develop keratoacanthomas on sun-exposed skin.
After a few weeks, the keratoacanthoma began to shrink and eventually disappeared, leaving only a small scar.

Synonyms

skin tumor

vskeratoacanthoma

Specialized

1 4.6

A growth on the skin that may be harmless or cancerous

is a specific rapidly growing lesion that mimics cancer but usually resolves

hamartoma

vskeratoacanthoma

Specialized

1 9.9

A growth that is not cancer and is made of normal cells from the same body part

is a fast-growing neoplastic lesion that appears and often disappears not a developmental mix

acanthoma

vskeratoacanthoma

Specialized

9.9

A non-cancer growth on the skin that starts in the outer layer

grows rapidly and often resolves on its own leaving a scar

Surface Forms

keratoacanthoma singular

keratoacanthomas plural

Morphology

keratoacanthoma = acanthoma (opaque) = kerato + acanth + oma

The components are Greek medical combining forms not familiar to average learners, so the meaning of the whole is not predictable from known English bases.

Etymology

Keratoacanthoma breaks into parts that tell its story: kerato- (like keratin) meaning 'horn' or hard skin, acanth- meaning 'thorn' or 'spine', and -oma meaning 'tumor'. So a keratoacanthoma is like a 'horn-like, thorny lump' of skin, which explains why it looks like a hard, fast-growing skin tumor that often goes away on its own.