eMJA: Can tuberculosis mimic cancer?

To the Editor: A 60-year-old Hispanic woman, who had lived in the United States for 10 years, presented with a 1-day history of altered mental status. Physical examination revealed ascites and enlarged right axillary lymph nodes. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain showed multiple intracranial lesions (Box, A). Computed tomography of the chest and abdomen showed massive adenopathy in the right axilla, multiple nodules in upper lung fields, ascites and retroperitoneal adenopathy. Her cancer antigen (CA) 125 level was 1469 U/mL (reference range, 0–35 U/mL); CA27.29 and CA19-9 levels were within the upper limit of the normal ranges.

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