Diagnosis and Treatment of Burkitt Lymphoma

High-intensity chemotherapy resulted in high survival rates, especially in patients with low-risk disease.

Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is a rare, aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) characterized by cMYC oncogene translocation and a near 100% cellular-growth fraction. Intensive combination chemotherapy regimens that include central nervous system (CNS) prophylaxis provide high cure rates. However, diagnosis of BL based solely on morphology is limited because of cytologic heterogeneity, which has led to difficulties in applying optimal therapy. To develop diagnostic criteria and to evaluate treatment outcomes for patients in whom BL was diagnosed according to such criteria, investigators conducted an international, prospective, nonrandomized, phase II trial comparing clinical courses in BL and non-BL B-cell NHL patients.

All participants had tu…

Reviewing Author

Michael E. Williams, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAbbVie; AstraZeneca; Beigene; Janssen; Pharmacyclics

Grant/Research SupportJanssen

Editorial BoardsAmerican Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Hematology Longitudinal Knowledge Approval Committee

Michael E. Williams, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAbbVie; AstraZeneca; Beigene; Janssen; Pharmacyclics

Grant/Research SupportJanssen

Editorial BoardsAmerican Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Hematology Longitudinal Knowledge Approval Committee