Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Mimicking Lymphadenitis  Tuberculosis: Don’t Miss It in Tuberculosis Endemic Area

Haryati Haryati; Muhammad Darwin Prenggono; Ika Kustiyah Oktaviyanti; Devi A Kusumawardani

doi:10.31557/apjcc.2026.11.1.125-129

Authors

Haryati Haryati Department of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Lambung Mangkurat University, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Muhammad Darwin Prenggono Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Lambung Mangkurat University, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Indonesia. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4284-7344
Ika Kustiyah Oktaviyanti Department of Pathology Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Lambung Mangkurat University, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Indonesia. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8487-6792
Devi A Kusumawardani Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Lambung Mangkurat University, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Indonesia.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31557/apjcc.2026.11.1.125-129

Keywords:

Lymphadenitis TB, Multidisciplinary team, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, TB-endemic area

Abstract

Introduction: In TB-endemic areas, lymphadenopathy may be misdiagnosed as TB and disguise lymphoma. Specialized professionals or multidisciplinary teams (MDT) must collaborate to solve the diagnostic challenge.

Case Presentation: We present a case of a 27-year-old woman who was initially diagnosed with TB cervical lymphadenitis by open biopsy. After 4 months of anti-tuberculous drugs, the neck wound after surgery worsened, and frequently, air bubbles and food emerged. TB medication was discontinued, and the following chest and head-neck CT scan revealed a soft tissue mass 5.7 x 9.5 cm infiltrating cutis in the pre-sternal region with the destruction of the sternum and multiple lymph nodes in the thorax, axilla, and cervical area, as well as anaplastic large cell lymphoma, a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma with positive Ki67, CD45, and CD3, and negative CD20 and CK from re-biopsy. An MDT meeting concluded non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Ann Arbor stage IVB. Cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) treatment was given. After six cycles of chemotherapy, symptoms improved, and the wound healed.

Conclusion: It highlights, misdiagnosis of lymphoma as tuberculosis delays treatment and affects prognosis. Thus, repeated investigations after anti-TB treatment failed, and the MDT meeting helped clinicians diagnose and treat patients.