Tonsillar Tuberculosis Simulating Cancer: A Case Report

Tuberculosis is still considered a cause of death, especially in developing countries. Primary tonsillar tuberculosis in the absence of pulmonary tuberculosis in an immunocompetent patient is a rare entity. Its diagnosis is difficult because it simulates tonsillar cancer, and histopathological examination is often needed for confirmation. We report the case of a 30-year-old woman with no history of tuberculosis and a normal lung CT. The lack of response to the initial treatment suggested either tumor pathology or germ-specific tonsillitis. The diagnosis of tonsillar tuberculosis was established based on the histological aspects provided by the tonsil biopsy and the QuantiFERON-TB test.