HISTOPATHOLOGY-INDIA.NET

                           ACANTHOMAS

        Dr  Sampurna Roy  MD

The benign acanthomas are the benign tumours of epidermal keratinocytes.

[ The benign acanthomas. Brownstein MH. J Cutan Pathol. 1985 Jun-Aug;12(3-4):172-88.  An important, yet neglected, problem in dermatopathology, is the evaluation of the benign acanthomas, the benign tumors of epidermal keratinocytes. The benign acanthomas may be simulated by lesions which are not benign (e.g. actinic keratosis), not tumors (e.g. normal plantar skin), or are not epidermal (e.g. dermatofibroma). In addition to normal (epidermoid) keratinization (e.g., seborrheic keratosis and related conditions), the variants of the benign acanthomas show a wide range of aberrant keratinization, including epidermolytic hyperkeratosis (epidermolytic acanthoma), dyskeratosis (warty dyskeratoma), acantholysis (acantholytic acanthoma), cornoid lamellation (porokeratosis), lichenoid hyperplasia (lichen planus-like keratosis), and absence of keratinization (clear cell acanthoma). ]

1) Epidermolytic Acanthoma

2) Acantholytic acanthoma

3) Melanoacanthoma

4) Warty Dyskeratoma

5) Clear cell acanthoma

6) Large Cell acanthoma

7) Seborrheic Keratosis

EPIDERMOLYTIC ACANTHOMA

This is a  rare idiopathic keratinocytic lesion which  may be solitary or multiple. A disseminated form has been described. Histology shows epidermolytic hyperkeratosis.     

[ Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis is an abnormality of epidermal maturation. Features  include compact hyperkeratosis, granular and vacuolar degeneration of the cells of the spinous and granular layers. ]

ACANTHOLYTIC ACANTHOMA

This is a solitary tumour arising on the trunk of older patients . Multiple lesions have been reported in a renal transplant recipient. Histology reveals hyperkeratosis, papillomatosis, acanthosis and variable acantholysis.

MELANOACANTHOMA

This lesion presents as a pigmented nodule on the
trunk, head and neck and oral mucosa of older patients. Histologically this lesion resembles a pigmented seborrheic keratosis. The features include acanthotic epidermis, composed of basaloid and spinous cells together with scattered dendritic melanocytes.

Normal Histology of Skin Glossary    Gross examination of the skin specimen Reporting of biopsies taken for Inflammatory Skin Diseases Lichenoid (Interface)Tissue Reaction Pattern Psoriasiform Reaction Pattern Vesiculobullous Reaction Pattern Spongiform Reaction Pattern Vasculopathic Reaction Pattern Lichen planus-like lesions Bullous Pemphigoid Dermatitis Herpetiformis Hailey-Hailey Disease Erythema Nodosum Folliculitis Impetigo Furuncle(Boil) Carbuncle Toxic Shock Syndrome Drug related cutaneous lesions Cutaneous lesion in graft-versus host disease Verruciform Xanthoma Xanthelasma Primary Cutaneous  Lymphoma Lymphomatoid papulosis Role of immuno histochemistry in Dermatopathology  Cutaneous Pseudolymphoma Cutaneous Deposits Calcinosis Cutis Cutaneous Ossification (Osteoma Cutis) Cartilaginous lesions of skin Lipoid Proteinosis Pathology of Colloid Milium Gout Silicone granulomas

Cutaneous infection and infestations Histopathological  patterns in cutaneous infections 1: Bacterial, Rickettsial  and Chlamydial infection 2 : Spirochetal Infection 3 : Mycoses and algal infections 4 : Protozoal Infections 5 : Helminth Infections 6 : Viral Infections Cutaneous lesion associated with AIDS