Classical hodgkin lymphoma with contiguous extranodal extension mimicking cervical cancer

Abstract Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a rare haematological malignancy that arises from clonal B lymphocytes. Among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), it is the most common non-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-defining cancer, with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL) representing the predominant subtype. It is a lymphoid disease, typically involving the axial body lymph nodes, and rarely involving true extranodal sites outside the bone marrow, liver, and spleen. Here we report a rare case of a 41-year-old female, HIV-positive, who presented to multiple healthcare facilities in KwaZulu Natal (KZN), South Africa (SA), treated unsuccessfully for recurrent sexually transmitted infections (STI). Clinical exam revealed a macroscopic cervical mass with the primary suspicion of cervical cancer. Biopsy of the lesion revealed ectocervix with an invasive tumour comprising of mononuclear variant and classic Reed-Sternberg cells, and special stains demonstrated CD15, CD30 and Epstein–Barr virus-encoded small RNA (EBER) immunopositivity, in keeping with CHL.