Cardiac tamponade as the initial presentation of t-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma in a young female: A case report

T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL) is a rare and aggressive subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It often presents with mediastinal masses, but its initial manifestation with cardiac tamponade is exceedingly uncommon. We report the case of a 24-year-old female presenting with progressive dyspnea due to large pericardial effusion with tamponade physiology, leading to the diagnosis of T-LBL. The patient underwent partial pericardiectomy followed by immunophenotyping that confirmed the diagnosis. Chemotherapy was initiated with favorable response. This case highlights the importance of considering lymphoma in young patients with unexplained pericardial effusion and emphasizes the need for prompt diagnostic workup.