Primary extranodal head and neck classical Hodgkin lymphoma: A rare clinical case report

The subcutaneous soft tissue of the forehead is a rare anatomic site for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), and no such case has previously been reported in the literature, to the best of our knowledge. HLs commonly present in the nodal regions in the majority of patients, rarely occurring in extranodal sites, whereas primary extranodal lymphoma is less common and is more typical in cases of non-HL. The present study reports a novel case of extranodal head and neck classical HL (cHL), initially diagnosed as frontal fibroma. The present study describes an unusual case of subcutaneous soft tissue involvement of HL, aiming to enhance current levels of awareness for patients with extranodal symptoms. A 25-year-old male, who inadvertently detected a hard painless mass above the right superciliary arch 2 months prior to admission in April 2013 was eventually diagnosed with mixed cellularity cHL. Subsequent to six cycles of doxorubicin (Adriamycin), bleomycin, vindesine and dacarbazine chemotherapy, followed by four cycles of ifosfamide, gemcitabine, vinorelbine and prednisone chemotherapy, a satisfactory curative effect was obtained. In conclusion, it is proposed that lymphoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a mass involving the subcutaneous soft tissue.