Seborrheic keratosis - Histology

What is Seborrheic Keratosis?

Seborrheic keratosis is a common, benign skin tumor that typically appears in older adults. These lesions are non-cancerous and generally do not pose any significant health risks. They are often described as having a "stuck-on" appearance and can vary in color from light tan to black.

Histological Features

Under the microscope, seborrheic keratosis displays several distinct histological features. The epidermis is typically thickened and shows acanthosis. The cells within the lesion are uniform and show a basaloid appearance, often with horn cysts and pseudohorn cysts that are filled with keratin.

Histopathological Variants

There are several histopathological variants of seborrheic keratosis, including:

Acanthotic: Characterized by significant thickening of the epidermis.
Hyperkeratotic: Exhibits extensive keratinization on the surface.
Adenoid: Shows a more glandular or trabecular pattern.
Clonal: Features nests of basaloid cells within the lesion.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of seborrheic keratosis is often made clinically, but histological examination can confirm the diagnosis. Biopsy and subsequent histological analysis are used to examine the cellular architecture and rule out other conditions such as malignant melanoma or squamous cell carcinoma.

Pathogenesis

The exact pathogenesis of seborrheic keratosis is not well understood. However, genetic mutations, particularly in the FGFR3 and PIK3CA genes, have been implicated. These mutations lead to the abnormal proliferation of keratinocytes.

Treatment

While seborrheic keratosis is benign and often does not require treatment, some patients opt for removal for cosmetic reasons or due to irritation. Treatment options include cryotherapy, curettage, laser ablation, and topical treatments.

Conclusion

Understanding the histological aspects of seborrheic keratosis is crucial for accurate diagnosis and appropriate management. Despite its benign nature, distinguishing it from other potentially malignant lesions is important for ensuring patient safety.

Relevant Publications

Unusual presentation of seborrheic keratosis: A case report of giant pigmented lesion on the forehead.

Issue Release: 2024

Improving skin cancer detection by Raman spectroscopy using convolutional neural networks and data augmentation.

Issue Release: 2024

Can Artificial Intelligence \"Hold\" a Dermoscope?-The Evaluation of an Artificial Intelligence Chatbot to Translate the Dermoscopic Language.

Issue Release: 2024

Seborrhoische Keratose auf Augenbrauen-Tätowierung: A case of seborrheic keratosis lesions localized to eyebrow tattoos.

Issue Release: 2024

Tumor of follicular infundibulum - reappraisal in a series of 28 patients with critical review of the literature.

Issue Release: 2024

Improving access to dermatology specialist care: review of a dermatologist- and general practitioner-integrated clinic model.

Issue Release: 2024

Phenome-wide association study of ovarian cancer identifies common comorbidities and reveals shared genetics with complex diseases and biomarkers.

Issue Release: 2024

Ultraviolet Induced Fluorescence Dermoscopy in Seborrheic Keratosis structures.

Issue Release: 2024

Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis (Lewandowsky and Lutz\'s Dysplasia).

Issue Release: 2024

Line-field confocal optical coherence tomography of eyelid margin growths: A case series.

Issue Release: 2024

Retrospective Analysis of a Seborrheic Keratosis-Like Melanoma on the Head.

Issue Release: 2024

Bowen disease with sebaceous differentiation arising from clonal seborrheic keratosis.

Issue Release: 2024

Causality of inflammatory bowel disease and seborrheic keratosis: A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Issue Release: 2024

Artificial Intelligence-Based Distinction of Actinic Keratosis and Seborrheic Keratosis.

Issue Release: 2024

Pigmented nonmelanoma skin cancers of the genital area: a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge - monocentric experience and review of the literature.

Issue Release: 2024

Evaluation of a Novel Dermal Cooling System for the Treatment of Benign Pigmented Lesions in Asians.

Issue Release: 2024

Diagnostic dilemma in pigmented basal cell carcinoma: A case report.

Issue Release: 2024

Clinical Misdiagnosis of Cutaneous Malignant Tumors as Melanocytic Nevi or Seborrheic Keratosis: A Retrospective Analysis of a Chinese Population.

Issue Release: 2024

Medial Canthal Collision Tumor with Seborrheic Keratosis Hiding Underlying Basal Cell Carcinoma.

Issue Release: 2024

Onychocytic Matricoma: A Clinical, Dermoscopic, and Pathological Analysis of 14 Cases.

Issue Release: 2024

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