How Do You Spell PARACANTHOMA?

1. Paracanthoma is a term used in medical pathology to describe a rare type of benign skin tumor or neoplasm that arises from the hair follicles. It presents as a slow-growing, solitary nodule or growth on the skin. Paracanthomas usually occur on sun-exposed areas such as the face, scalp, neck, or extremities.

   Histologically, a paracanthoma is characterized by a well-circumscribed, symmetrical proliferation of squamous epithelium with keratin-filled cysts. It is composed of epithelial cells that display a high degree of differentiation and maturation but lack the features of malignancy. The tumor cells in a paracanthoma exhibit a characteristic spiling-like arrangement, and the cysts are lined with keratinized cells.

   Clinically, paracanthomas are generally asymptomatic and do not cause any major discomfort or pain. They are often discovered incidentally or due to aesthetic concerns. Although these tumors are considered to be benign, sometimes they may grow in size and cause cosmetic disfigurement. In such cases, surgical excision or other treatment modalities like cryotherapy or electrocautery may be considered.

   While paracanthomas are rare, the differential diagnosis includes other benign skin tumors such as seborrheic keratosis, inverted follicular keratosis, and verruca vulgaris. It is important to differentiate paracanthomas from malignancies such as squamous cell carcinoma, which may have similar clinical features. Therefore, histopathological examination is crucial for accurate diagnosis and appropriate management of paracanthomas.

2. A tumor arising from abnormal hyperplasia of the prickle-cell layer of the skin.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for PARACANTHOMA

The word "paracanthoma" is a medical term that is derived from two root words: "para" and "acanthoma".

1. "Para" comes from the Greek prefix παρά (para), which denotes "beside", "near", or "abnormal".

2. "Acanthoma" is derived from two Greek roots: "akantha", meaning "thorn" or "spine", and "oma", which refers to a tumor.

Therefore, "paracanthoma" can be understood to mean an abnormal growth or tumor near or beside a thorn or spine.