Burkitt's Lymphoma

Burkitt's Lymphoma is an aggressive (fast-growing) type of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that occurs most often in children and young adults. It is named after Denis Parsons Burkitt, who first described the disease in 1956 while working in Africa. At present, there are three main types of Burkitt’s lymphoma: endemic, sporadic, and immunodeficiency related. Endemic Burkitt’s lymphoma occurs in Africa. Sporadic Burkitt’s lymphoma occurs throughout the world. Immunodeficiency-related Burkitt’s lymphoma is most often seen in AIDS patients.

Symptoms

• Painless swelling in the lymph nodes in the jaw, bowel, kidneys, ovaries, or other organs.
• Fever for no known reason.
• Drenching night sweats.
• Feeling very tired.
• Weight loss for no known reason.
• Skin rash or itchy skin.
• Pain in the chest, abdomen, or bones for no known reason.

Causes

Burkitt's lymphoma results from chromosome translocations that involve the Myc gene. The classic chromosome translocation in Burkitt's lymophoma involves chromosome 8, the site of the Myc gene. This changes the pattern of Myc's expression, thereby disrupting its usual function in controlling cell growth and proliferation.

The form seen in Africa is also associated with infection by the Epstein-Barr virus, but the pathogenic mechanism is unclear.

References:

Genes and Diseases, National Library of Medicine, USA.

National Cancer Institute, USA.