Mantle Cell Lymphoma of the Palatine Tonsil: A Rare Case Report

INTRODUCTION: Primary mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) of the palatine tonsil without involvement of the regional lymph nodes is rarely reported. CASE REPORT: A 52-year-old male presented with complaints of a change in his voice over 3 months, with neither sore throat nor fever. Physical examination revealed right-sided grade IV and left-sided grade III tonsillar enlargement with prominent vessels. The patient underwent bilateral tonsillectomy. An initial histopathological report revealed chronic tonsillitis on the left side and suspicion of atypical lymphoproliferative disorder on the right. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells were positive for Bcl2, CD20, CD5 and Cyclin D1 and negative for CD10, Bcl6 and CD3; thus a diagnosis of MCL was confirmed. CONCLUSION: MCL of the tonsil is rare. The microscopic diagnosis is challenging as the picture is very similar compared with other types of small cell lymphomas. A detailed immunohistochemistry panel is required for an accurate diagnosis.