Primary Orbital Extranodal Natural Killer/T-Cell Lymphoma in a Young African Male: A Case Report

Introduction: Natural killer/T-cell (NK/T) lymphomas are very rare with poor prognosis. These cancers are more prevalent in Asian and South American populations, are often Epstein-Barr virus positive, and usually involve the nasal cavity or paranasal sinuses. NK/T lymphomas originating from the orbit is an extremely rare occurrence. Case Presentation: Here we report the clinical, radiological, and histopathologic features of an 18-year-old male who presented with a painful right orbital mass associated with ipsilateral headache and complete vision loss in the affected eye, that was histologically diagnosed as an NK/T lymphoma. Despite a favorable response to gemcitabine, dexamethasone, and cisplatin treatment, the patient died as a result of treatment-induced complications. We present the clinical and radiologic parameters, the histological and molecular characterization of the tumor, including treatment and outcome. Conclusion: This case underscores the importance of promptly characterizing atypical orbital masses, maintaining a high index of suspicion for NK/T lymphoma in the differential diagnosis even for young patients, the need for safer targeted treatments especially in resource-limited settings, and the need for close monitoring of side effects during treatment.