Cutaneous Horn

Cutaneous horn is a descriptive rather than diagnostic term that refers to horn projections of tissue that are caused by a variety of neoplasms, including actinic keratosis, warts, Bowen disease, granular cell tumors, Paget disease, sebaceous neoplasms, basal and squamous cell carcinoma, and seborrheic keratosis.¹ Rarely, molluscum contagiosum of the poxvirus group forms a cutaneous horn. The only other infectious cause is leishmaniasis. Cutaneous horns are removed by shave biopsy and the tissue is sent for histologic examination.