THE HIDDEN LYMPHOMA: A CASE OF SUBCUTANEOUS PANNICULITIS-LIKE TCELL LYMPHOMA MISDIAGNOSED AS TUBERCULOSIS

Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL) is a rare and often misdiagnosed form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that primarily involves the subcutaneous fat, mimicking benign conditions such as panniculitis or tuberculosis. We report the case of a 36-year-old female initially misdiagnosed with tuberculosis and treated with anti-tubercular therapy. Persistent symptoms and the development of new nodules prompted further evaluation. A PET-CT and excision biopsy, followed by histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis, confirmed the diagnosis of SPTCL, characterized by CD3+, CD8+, TCR αβ+ atypical lymphoid cells. The patient was treated with six cycles of chemotherapy, including CHOP and etoposide, with good clinical and radiologic response. This case underscores the importance of considering SPTCL in the differential diagnosis of persistent subcutaneous nodules and highlights the critical role of biopsy and immunophenotyping in achieving timely diagnosis and appropriate management.