Burkitt lymphoma
Description
- The fastest-growing human tumour - doubling time ~24-48 h, Ki-67 ~100%
- -> a medical emergency; days matter, not weeks
- Mature B-cell neoplasm, MYC-driven
| Variant | Setting | Typical site |
|---|---|---|
| Endemic | Equatorial Africa, malaria belt. EBV in ~95% | Jaw / facial bones, orbit; abdominal |
| Sporadic | Western, children + young adults. EBV ~15-30% | Ileocaecum, abdominal mass, ascites; ovary, kidney, breast |
| Immunodeficiency-associated | HIV (often at preserved CD4), post-transplant | Nodal, marrow, CNS |
- *Curable even when widely disseminated* - do not palliate on stage alone
- Marrow +/- CNS involvement = Burkitt leukaemia (formerly L3 ALL)
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