Mimicry of Rhabdomyosarcoma by Tonsillar Actinomycosis: Case Report

Actinomycosis is a rare infectious disease characterized by slowly progressive, chronic suppurative lesions, often mistaken for malignancies due to its ability to mimic them. It is caused by Actinomyces bacteria, which are part of the normal flora of the human oropharynx, gastrointestinal, and uroge...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Lithuania), 2024-07, Vol.60 (7), p.1172
Main Authors: Montenegro Palacios, John Fernando, Correa Forero, Shirley Vanessa, Ordoñez Andrade, Gaby Alejandra, Posu Barco, Jasbleidy, Melo Burbano, Luis Alvaro, Liscano, Yamil
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Actinomyces europaeus
Actinomyces graevenitzii
actinomycosis
Actinomycosis - diagnosis
Actinomycosis - drug therapy
Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use
Antibiotics
Bacteria
Biopsy
Case reports
Catheters
Diagnosis, Differential
Dysphagia
Gram-positive anaerobic bacteria
Humans
Infections
Infectious diseases
Magnetic resonance imaging
Male
Metastasis
Middle Aged
Neck
Oncology
Orthopedics
Palatine Tonsil - microbiology
Positron Emission Tomography (PET-CT)
Rhabdomyosarcoma
Rhabdomyosarcoma - diagnosis
Sarcoma
Throat surgery
Tomography
Tuberculosis
Tumors
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Actinomycosis is a rare infectious disease characterized by slowly progressive, chronic suppurative lesions, often mistaken for malignancies due to its ability to mimic them. It is caused by Actinomyces bacteria, which are part of the normal flora of the human oropharynx, gastrointestinal, and urogenital tracts. This case report describes a 51-year-old male with a history of mandibular rhabdomyosarcoma presenting with severe shoulder and hip pain, dysphagia, and headaches, initially suspected to be a cancer recurrence. However, after further investigation, including a PET-CT and tonsillectomy, the diagnosis of actinomycosis was confirmed through histopathological examination. The case highlights the diagnostic challenges of actinomycosis, especially in patients with complex clinical histories, emphasizing the importance of considering it as a differential diagnosis in similar presentations. The patient was treated with long-term antibiotic therapy, predominantly beta-lactams, demonstrating the necessity of a comprehensive diagnostic approach and the implications of a delayed diagnosis. This case underscores the critical need for high clinical suspicion and awareness among healthcare professionals regarding the potential for actinomycosis to mimic more common diseases, ensuring timely and accurate treatment.
ISSN:1648-9144
1010-660X
1648-9144
DOI:10.3390/medicina60071172