Abdominal presentation of Burkitt's lymphoma in an HIV-positive patient

The incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) has greatly increased in the AIDS population. It has been estimated that 8% to 27% of newly diagnosed cases of NHL are related to AIDS. The vast majority are clinically aggressive B cell-derived lymphomas. AIDS-associated NHLs are classified according to their anatomic site of location into three classes: (1) systemic (both nodal as well as extranodal), (2) primary central nervous system, and (3) body cavity-based lymphomas. We present a case report of a patient with HIV infection who presented with abdominal pain and distension and was found to have an intraabdominal type of Burkitt's lymphoma. This case underlines the following points: 1. In the evaluation of acute abdominal disease in a patient with AIDS, both AIDS-related infections as well as malignancies should be sought in the differential diagnosis. 2. Computed tomographic scanning of the abdomen is the modality of choice for characterization of disease as well as direction of appropriate therapy. 3. AIDS-related NHL remains an important biologic model for investigating the development and progression of lymphomas in the immune-deficient host. 4. With the improved survival of patients with AIDS secondary to better prevention and treatment of infections, there may be an increase in AIDS-associated malignancies; therefore, further research pertaining to the development and characterization of therapy modalities of such malignant tumors is mandatory.