Akademik

Bur·kitt's lymphoma .bər-kəts- also Burkitt lymphoma -kət- n a malignant lymphoma that affects primarily the upper and lower jaws, orbit, retroperitoneal tissues situated near the pancreas, kidneys, ovaries, testes, thyroid, adrenal glands, heart, and pleura, that occurs esp. in children of central Africa, and that is associated with Epstein-Barr virus

Burkitt Denis Parsons (1911-1993)

British surgeon. In 1957 while in Uganda, Burkitt identified for the first time the cancer that now bears his name. In 1970 he published a monograph entitled Burkitt's Lymphoma.

a malignant tumour of the lymphatic system, most commonly affecting children and largely confined to tropical Africa in a zone 15° north and south of the equator. It is the most rapidly growing malignancy, with a tumour doubling time of about five days. It can arise at various sites, most commonly the facial structures, such as the jaw, and in the abdomen. The Epstein-Barr virus plays a role in the origin and growth of the tumour. Complications affecting the nervous system occur in up to 50% of cases. Non-African Burkitt's lymphoma is increasingly being recognized. All forms are very sensitive to cytotoxic drug therapy but cure is uncommon.