Anaplastic large cell lymphoma: a rare cause of extreme neutrophilia in a child

Abstract

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) in children can present with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations which apart from nodal and extra nodal disease include paraneoplastic phenomena that can mimic an infection or inflammatory illness leading to delayed diagnosis. The following case report describes a child with prolonged fever, hepatosplenomegaly, polyserositis and extreme neutrophilia masquerading as an infection or inflammatory disorder for long before the definitive diagnosis of ALCL was made. This case highlights the rare paraneoplastic phenomena in ALCL and the heightened need to suspect this disorder when the search for underlying infections and connective tissue disorders are not conclusive.