What is Burkitts Lymphoma?
Burkitt’s lymphoma is a rare and aggressive form of lymphoma – a cancer that affects a class of white blood cells called B-lymphocytes. ‘It is one of the most aggressive cancers around,’ said Dr Benjamin Mow, a consultant haematologist and oncologist in private practice. ‘Every day, the cancerous cells can double in number.’ Worldwide, this cancer occurs in one person out of every 100,000, Dr Mow said. First discovered in 1956 by British surgeon Dennis Burkitt in Africa, the cancer is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, which transforms normal white blood cells into cancerous cells at an impressive rate. ‘Burkitt’s lymphoma tends to occur in people with low immunity, as it makes them more vulnerable to the virus,’ said Dr Mow. Thus, people suffering from or just recovering from an illness might be more susceptible to this cancer – for instance, people with HIV, which weakens one’s immune system. Jaw and intestines affected There are two forms of Burkitt’s lymphoma – endemic and sporadic.
