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Burkitt's lymphoma: a child's case presenting in the maxilla. Clinical and radiological aspects
Borja Valenzuela-Salas1, Alicia Dean-Ferrer, Francisco-Jesús Alamillos-Granados
1Servicio de Cirugía Oral y Maxilofacial, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía de Córdoba, Spain. borja_azuldos@hotmail.com
Insights
Burkitt
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Hematology
- Virology
Background:
- Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) is an aggressive, yet curable, pediatric non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
- It is the first human cancer linked to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).
- Subtypes include endemic, sporadic, and HIV-associated BL.
Observation:
- Maxillary involvement is rare in sporadic BL, complicating diagnosis due to non-specific symptoms.
- This case highlights a pediatric patient with BL presenting primarily in the maxilla.
Findings:
- Despite aggressive behavior, Burkitt's lymphoma is potentially curable with modern chemotherapy.
- Tumor location and stage are critical prognostic factors in BL management.
- Maxillary presentation in sporadic BL is uncommon and diagnostically challenging.
Implications:
- Early diagnosis and appropriate chemotherapy are crucial for improving survival rates in pediatric BL.
- Understanding rare presentations like maxillary involvement aids in timely diagnosis and treatment.
- Further research into EBV's role in BL pathogenesis may reveal new therapeutic targets.
Abstract:
Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) is a neoplasm which, despite its very aggressive behaviour is potentially curable. It typically affects the paediatric population. BL belongs to the non-Hodgkin lymphomas group, and is the first human tumour undoubtedly related to a viral origin (Epstein-Barr virus). Two main clinical subtypes are recognized: endemic or African type, and sporadic type; HIV associated BL constitutes a third type. Although common in endemic BL, maxillary involvement is rare in sporadic cases. This, together with the clinical lack of specificity associated to this location, makes diagnosis difficult. New chemotherapeutic protocols achieve a high survival rate. Most important prognostic factors are location and tumour stage. We report a paediatric case of BL presenting in the maxilla, with a review and a description of the characteristics of the disease.