Medicine & USMLE

Burkitt Lymphoma

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Leukemias and Lymphomas
  1. Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)
  2. Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL)
  3. Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)
  4. Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML)
  5. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
  6. Hairy Cell Leukemia (HCL)
  7. Hodgkin Lymphoma
  8. Burkitt Lymphoma
  9. Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL)
  10. Follicular Lymphoma
  11. Mantle Cell Lymphoma
  12. Marginal Zone Lymphoma
  13. Primary CNS Lymphoma (PCNSL)
  14. Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma (ATLL)
  15. Mycosis Fungoides / Sezary Syndrome

Burkitt Lymphoma is a non-Hodgkin lymphoma affecting B-cells.

It is caused by a t(8;14) translocation, moving the c-myc locus on chromosome 8 to the heavily-expressed heavy-chain immunoglobulin locus on chromosome 14. This increases expression of c-myc, an oncogene that inducescell proliferation, eventually leading to cancer.

The endemic form of Burkitt Lymphoma classically presents with a jaw lesion, and is associated with Epstein Barr Virus infections. Sporadic cases are associated with pelvic or abdominal lesions. On biopsy, rapidly proliferating sheets of lymphocytes are interspersed with bright, tingible-body macrophages, a finding often described as a "starry sky appearance".

Find this Burkitt Lymphoma mnemonic and more Lymphoma mnemonics among Pixorize's visual mnemonics for the USMLE Step 1 and NBME Shelf Exams.