TITLE:
Primary Oropharyngeal Tuberculosis—A Differential Diagnosis to Malignancy
AUTHORS:
Swati D. Lambor, Dheeraj V. Lambor, Sai Spoorthi R. Nayak, Archan D. Naik
KEYWORDS:
Tuberculosis, Pharyngeal, Tonsil, Oropharynx
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery,
Vol.3 No.3,
May
8,
2014
ABSTRACT: Tuberculosis is a
communicable disease manifesting as pulmonary and extra pulmonary infection.
Extra pulmonary tuberculosis involving pharynx is usually secondary to active
pulmonary tuberculosis. Primary oropharyngeal tuberculosis is rare and has been
reported in association with immunocompromised states like HIV-AIDS and chronic
alcoholism. It has very unusual clinical presentation and sometimes mimics
malignancy. We report herewith two cases of primary oropharyngeal tuberculosis,
clinically mimicking a malignancy, in immunocompetent adult patients. A high
index of suspicion is required to diagnose pharyngeal tuberculosis in patients
presenting with ulceroproliferative mass in oropharynx. Histopathological
findings of characteristic tuberculous granuloma are confirmatory.
Anti-tuberculous therapy gives excellent results within two months of
commencing the treatment.