TITLE:
Nasopharyngeal Rhabdomyosarcoma Masquerading as Peritonsillar Abscess and Bronchopneumonia: An Unforeseen Diagnosis
AUTHORS:
Eshita Bansal, Pawan Singhal, Balkrishan Jhajhadia, Anchal Agrawal, Taniya Joshi, Saurav Kamat
KEYWORDS:
Rhabdomyosarcoma, Peritonsillar Abscess, Round Blue Cell Tumour, Pediatric Malignancy
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery,
Vol.15 No.2,
February
11,
2026
ABSTRACT: Rhabdomyosarcoma is an aggressive malignant tumor and is the most common soft tissue sarcoma found in children, frequently arising from the nose, nasopharynx and paranasal sinuses. Here we report the case of a 3-year-old female who was misdiagnosed by multiple hospitals as peritonsillar abscess in view of the acute nature of the illness. Following tracheostomy due to the obstructive tendency of the lesion, the patient underwent imaging and biopsy which ultimately led to the diagnosis of a large nasopharyngeal rhabdomyosarcoma. The family was counselled regarding the prognosis and treatment modalities and the child subsequently underwent chemotherapy for the same.