Cutaneous horn

Signs and symptoms

The lesion at the base of the keratin mound is benign in the majority of cases. Malignancy is present in up to 20% of cases, with squamous-cell carcinoma being the most common type. The incidence of squamous-cell carcinoma increases to 37% when the cutaneous horn is present on the penis.

Cause

The cause of cutaneous horns is still unknown, but it is believed that exposure to radiation can trigger the condition. This is evidenced by a higher rate of cases occurring on the face and hands, areas that are often exposed to sunlight. Moreover, there is a higher prevalence in Asian countries with a warm climate. Other cases have reported cutaneous horns arising from burn scars. As with many other wart-like skin conditions, a link to the HPV virus family, especially the HPV-2 subtype, has been suggested.

Diagnosis

Histologically they are characterized by compact proliferation of keratin

Notable cases

• Zhang Ruifang, aged 101 (), living in Linlou Village, Henan province, China, has grown a cutaneous horn on her forehead, resembling what those who have examined her and her family call "Devil's Horns". Notably, this growth has expanded to reach a total of 6 cm in length. Another is forming on the opposite side of her forehead.
• Liang Xiuzhen, aged 87 (as of 2015) living in Guiyan village in Ziyang City, Sichuan province, China, grew a 13 cm pointed horn from her forehead, earning her the nickname "Unicorn Woman".
• Huang Yuanfan, aged 84 (living in Ziyuan, China).
• Shyam Lal Yadav, aged 74 (living in Madhya Pradesh, India) grew a 4 in horn after an accident, and later had it surgically removed.
• ("Widow Sunday"), a French woman living in Paris in the early 19th century, grew a 24.9 cm horn from her forehead in six years from the age of 76 before it was successfully removed by French surgeon Br. Joseph Souberbeille (1754–1846). A wax model of her head is on display at the Mütter Museum, The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, US. File:François Trouille, a man with a horn growing from his head. Wellcome V0007282EL.jpg|François Trouille File:Ulisse aldrovandi, monstrorum historia, per nicola tebaldini, bologna 1642, 058 uomo cornuto.jpg|François Trouille, in the works of Ulisse Aldrovandi File:Mary Davis, a woman with horns, aged 74. Mezzotint. Wellcome V0007048.jpg|Mary Davis, age 74, of Chester File:Elizabeth French, a woman with horns. Aquatint. Wellcome V0007092ER.jpg|Elizabeth French of Tenterden File:Horny tumors.jpg|Capt. Levi Becket of Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1870

References

References

1. (2004). "Cutaneous horns: are these lesions as innocent as they seem to be?". World Journal of Surgical Oncology.
2. (1991). "A histopathological study of 643 cutaneous horns". British Journal of Dermatology.
3. (2007). "Giant cutaneous horn in an African woman: a case report". Journal of Medical Case Reports.
4. (2007). "Detection of HPV-2 and identification of novel mutations by whole genome sequencing from biopsies of two patients with multiple cutaneous horns". Journal of Clinical Virology.
5. link. (2011-06-14 . Herald Sun. Retrieved on 2010-10-27.)
6. (2015-08-27). "'Unicorn woman' set to have 'horn' removed from head after 13cm spike stops OAP sleeping". Mirror Online.
7. (January 10, 2011). "China's Huang Yuanfan Sprouts 3-Inch Horn From Head".
8. (September 14, 2009). "74-year-old MP man grows devil's horn after injury". India Today.
9. [http://www.corkscrew-balloon.com/misc/mutter.html The Mütter Museum]. Corkscrew-balloon.com (2003-05-26). Retrieved on 2010-10-27.