What is burkitt cancer?!
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burkitts cancer is a cancer, obviously. that means that the cells with the cancer divide too much and too often and they create a big mass of uncontrolled growth. there are different names for cancer and each name denotes which cell in the body is dividing uncontrollably.
in burkitts cancer, the B Cells are the ones that are growing and dividing out of control.
As will all cancer there is a mutation in the DNA that gives the cells with the cancer the ability to divide with out control. Scientist think that in burkitts cancer there is often a chormosomal break at a gene called myc. this may happen because the myc gene is located at a susceptible break point. for whatever reason that this break in the chromosome occurs the rusult is a mutation in the DNA of the B cell and an over growth of these cells.
There is a lot more to it, but that would be a nice basic laymans start. I hope i didn't confuse you too much.
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Burkitt's Lymphoma Resources
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Cancer.gov:
The Web site of the National Cancer Institute
Dedicated to the memory of Jeffrey Alan Martin, our beloved son and brother, who passed over June 11, 1999 at the age of 32 after a 5 month battle with Burkitt's Lymphoma.
The Leroy Martin Family
Copley, Ohio
This site aims to provide resources on Burkitt's Lymphoma, a very rare form of cancer with about only 300 new cases a year in the United States. Burkitt's Lymphoma, rare in most of the world, is the most common childhood cancer in Central Africa, and is one of the most aggressive of all human cancers.
Burkitt's lymphoma is one type of a group of malignant diseases know as the Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas (NHL). These lymphomas are very similar to the leukemias. The type of malignant cell present is called a B-cell and Burkitt's is often referred to as a B-cell lymphoma or leukemia.
As with other cancers, the exact cause is not known. Burkitt's is the most common in children in Africa and there is some evidence linking its cause there to a virus known as the Epstein-Barr virus. Outside of Africa, chromosomal defects in some of the patient's cells may be the cause. Children still seem to be the most affected, but there are cases of adults with Burkitt's.
This malignancy grows very rapidly and a person who appeared in good health a month or 6 weeks ago may now be critically ill.
The diagnosis of Burkitt's is usually made by a biopsy from a suspected disease site such as the bone marrow or a lymph node. The staging of the disease is done quickly to spare the patient any life threatening complications from the rapid tumor growth. Common tests done include a complete blood count (CBC), a platelet count, a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy and a lumbar puncture. Further tests may include radiographic exams such as CT scan to look for occult masses but usually extensive x-ray procedures are not required.
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Please note: We are not medical professionals. This site and the information contained therein is a courtesy and not meant to promote any treatment or any treatment center.
visits since 10 May, 1999
This page last modified Monday, 09-Feb-2004 18:03:50 EST
It is also known as Burkitt lymphoma, which is named after Denis Parsons Burkitt, who mapped its peculiar geographic distribution across Africa. It is a high-grade B-cell neoplasm and has 2 major forms, the endemic (African) form and the nonendemic (sporadic) form. Burkitt lymphoma is a childhood tumor but it is observed in adult patients. Burkitt lymphoma is one of the fastest growing malignancies in humans, with a very high growth fraction.
Burkitt lymphoma is a very rare form of cancer in the United States, with about 100 new cases occurring each year.
Burkitt's lymphoma a form of undifferentiated malignant lymphoma, usually found in centralAfrica, but also reported from other areas, and manifested most often as a large osteolytic lesion in the jaw or as an abdominal mass; also called African lymphoma. The Epstein-Barr virus, a herpes virus, has been isolated from Burkitt's lymphoma cells in culture, and has been implicated as a causative agent.
Source(s):
Miller-Keane Encyclopedia & Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, & Allied Health
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