Burkitt's lymphoma is a malignant neoplasm from the group of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. It develops extremely dynamically, which is why a quick diagnosis is so important. Warning! It is very common in children and accounts for as much as 7 percent. all malignant tumors in young patients. What are the symptoms of Burkitt lymphoma and how is it treated?

Burkitt lymphoma(Burkitt lymphoma, Burkitt's tumor, malignant lymphoma, Burkitt's type, BL) is a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that primarily affects children (childhood cancer).

Responsible for the formation of Burkitt lymphoma are, inter alia, congenital and acquired immune deficiencies, ionizing radiation, certain chemicals, and EBV (Ebstein-Barr) infection.

Burkitt lymphoma - symptoms

Since the tumor in a child most often occurs in the abdominal cavity, the child may complain of abdominal pain and eating disorders. Parents may also notice an enlarged abdominal circumference or feel a mass in the abdomen.

If the tumor is not diagnosed early, it may lead to intestinal perforation, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and constipation.

The tumor located in the mediastinum causes shortness of breath and coughing, which is related to the pressure of the tumor masses on the airways.

If the tumor is lodged in the tonsil tissue, the child may snore while sleeping, have difficulty swallowing and breathing.

When Burkitt's lymphoma affects the lymph nodes of the neck, significant distortion of its circumference can be observed.

The location of Burkitt's lymphoma in the oral cavity often leads to changes in the arrangement of the teeth - they are displaced.

Burkitt's lymphoma - diagnosis

After being examined by a pediatrician, a child with suspected Burkitt lymphoma should be referred for oncology and to a pediatric surgeon. The recommended tests are:

  • blood test - blood count with smear and biochemical tests
  • urine general examination
  • chest X-ray image
  • computed tomography of the chest
  • X-ray of the abdominal cavity
  • ultrasound of the abdominal cavity

Additional research includes:

  • bone marrow test
  • CSF test
  • bone scintigraphy
  • EKG and ECHO of the heart
  • studyvirological
  • ENT examination

Burkitt's lymphoma - the development of the disease

The development of this tumor is divided into four phases:

  • A single tumor that affects only one area of ​​the lymph nodes or one organ, is absent from the mediastinum or the abdomen
  • The tumor has two groups of lymph nodes or two areas other than the lymph nodes on one side of the diaphragm, or there may be a junction between the small intestine and the large intestine
  • Lymphoma affects nodes or areas other than the nodes on both sides of the diaphragm, it can be in the abdominal cavity or in the mediastinum
  • The tumor covers the bone marrow and the central nervous system

Burkitt lymphoma - types

  • The endemic typeis most common in tropical Africa. The regions in which it occurs largely overlap with those in which endemic malaria is present. In equatorial Africa, this lymphoma is one of the most common childhood malignancies, accounting for as much as 75 percent. malignant tumors up to the age of 15 (twice as often in boys as in girls).
  • The sporadic typeis typical of highly industrialized countries, where it accounts for 1 to 2 percent of the population. all non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Men are three times more likely to get sick than women, and Caucasians are about ten times more likely to suffer from lymphoma than Americans of African or Asian descent. In children in highly developed countries, it is most often observed around the age of 11.
  • The immunodeficiency typeis the least common of all three types of Burkitt lymphoma. The most vulnerable groups are patients with AIDS or HIV infection, as well as people with congenital immunodeficiency syndromes and immunosuppressed organ transplant patients.

Burkitt's lymphoma - treatment

If you are diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma, you should start treatment as soon as possible - chemotherapy.

Before starting the procedure, the patient receives a drip to ensure adequate hydration and an oral drug to prevent the formation of deposits in the urinary tract. Such treatment prevents tumor lysis syndrome.

This syndrome can occur after chemotherapy - drugs break down cancer cells, which can lead to kidney failure.

Treatment consists of multi-drug cycles of chemotherapy. It consists of: prednisone, methotrexate, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, etoposide and cytarabine.

Withinin the prevention of central nervous system involvement, drugs (methotrexate, cytarabine, prednisolone) are administered to the spinal canal.

Category:

Oncology