Subcutaneous Facial Mass as a Rare Presentation of Follicular Lymphoma: A Case Report

Follicular lymphoma is a common form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Extranodal involvement, especially in soft tissue, is rare. Here, we present a case of a 68-year-old female patient who presented with a recurrent swollen cheek, which was initially misdiagnosed as seasonal allergies. Imaging revealed a soft tissue mass, but two fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsies were negative for malignancy. Clinical suspicion remained high and surgical excision was performed, revealing lymphoid proliferation consistent with follicular large B-cell lymphoma. Our case underscores the diagnostic challenges of soft tissue lymphomas and limitations of FNAs in ruling out malignancy. Furthermore, it highlights the necessity of maintaining clinical suspicion for lymphoma in cases of unresponsive facial masses.