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Tonsillar lymphoma masquerading as obstructive sleep apnea - pediatric case report
Corneliu Toader1, MioriŢa Toader, Alina Stoica
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, "Grigore Alexandrescu" Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children, Bucharest, Romania; toadermiorita@yahoo.com.
Summary
Pediatric lymphoma can present as tonsillar enlargement. Prompt histopathological examination of asymmetric tonsillar hypertrophy in children is crucial for early diagnosis and effective treatment of Burkitt lymphoma.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Head and Neck Pathology
Background:
- Lymphoma is the most common head and neck malignancy in children.
- Tonsillar lymphoma often presents with non-specific symptoms, leading to diagnostic delays.
Observation:
- A 5-year-old boy with obstructive sleep apnea was found to have asymmetric tonsillar hypertrophy.
- Tonsillectomy revealed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, specifically sporadic Burkitt lymphoma.
Findings:
- Asymmetric tonsillar hypertrophy in children warrants thorough histopathological evaluation.
- Immunohistochemistry is essential for accurate lymphoma subtyping and personalized treatment.
Implications:
- Early diagnosis through histopathology and immunohistochemistry significantly improves prognosis for pediatric tonsillar lymphoma.
- Routine histopathological assessment of asymmetric tonsillar hypertrophy in pediatric tonsillectomies is recommended to prevent misdiagnosis.
