"Chromatophoromas are neoplasms that arise from pigment cells of reptiles, amphibians, and fish. They include melanophoromas (melanomas), iridophoromas, and xanthophoromas."..."Aggressive surgical excision is the current treatment of choice."... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8955407/
"Chromatophoromas are neoplasms that arise from pigment cells of reptiles, amphibians, and fish. They include melanophoromas (melanomas), iridophoromas, and xanthophoromas."..."Aggressive surgical excision is the current treatment of choice."... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8955407/
I knew @kinyonga must have posted something about this, and sure enough she did. Sorry Lynda, but I’m hijacking this post.
Reviving this as the ‘papilloma’ that my sweet/spicy Stella has had for the past couple of years has recently changed and was unofficially identified by a great vet as a chromatophore tumor, or Chromatophoroma. Since she had a papilloma before, I skipped a vet visit to confirm this growth as it looked so much like the one she had before. It doesn’t seem to be causing her any pain or problems. The vet said he can freeze it off (at a future visit) and it may grow back or may not. Due to her advanced age and the stress of another vet visit, I am leaning heavily towards just keeping the wound clean and applying silver sulfadiazine cream. Here’s some pics to show some of the progression of her lesion.
May 2024 Just a barely visible dot. I probably thought it was just a tiny shred of stuck shed.
November 2024 Still tiny and I don’t recall if I had yet noticed that it wasn’t stuck shed
January 2025 I think by this time I was realizing it was something and suspecting papilloma
March 2026 Already firmly established in my mind as a harmless papilloma. I was wondering about the yellow raised center though.
April 2026 Yup. Sure does look like a papilloma, but wondering what happened to the yellow center thing. Guess it maybe changed color and is just blending in?
Current/August 2026 Yellow cone fell off, regrew and fell off again, revealing increased size and an open wound. This is not a papilloma. Keeping it clean and applying silvadene daily to every other day. Made appointment to take her to Dr Alfonso and here we are.
Stella is still being Stella and it hasn’t seemed to have any effect upon her. She still moves very well around her enclosure, eats enthusiastically and is her usual feisty self.
I guess my lesson here even when we think we know something, we often find we are wrong…especially with chameleons.
Sorry Lynda, but I’m hijacking this post. 
