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  • Case Study
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Extensive tubercular neck lymphadenopathy in a man with early-stage tongue cancer

Abstract

Background A 66-year-old Asian man presented with a tongue ulcer and without palpable metastases to the neck nodes. A thorough clinical examination of the head and neck region did not reveal any other primary lesion. To assess the status of the neck, PET–CT imaging was advised.

Investigations Physical examination, punch biopsy, PET–CT imaging, blood tests, chest radiograph, fine-needle aspiration biopsy, tumor biopsy, neck incision, tuberculin test, sputum culture and histopathology.

Diagnosis Carcinoma of the tongue of pathologic stage T2 N0 M0, with tubercular lymphadenitis and no nodal metastases.

Management Surgical excision and multidrug antitubercular therapy.

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Figure 1: Image of the tongue lesion described in this patient.
Figure 2: [18F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose-PET–CT scan of the patient's neck.

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Correspondence to Pankaj Chaturvedi.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Chaturvedi, P., Pai, P., Chaukar, D. et al. Extensive tubercular neck lymphadenopathy in a man with early-stage tongue cancer. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 4, 726–728 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncponc0981

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncponc0981

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