ABSTRACT
Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is a highly aggressive B-cell lymphoma with mature germinal center B-cell phenotype characterized by a bulky disease, a common extranodal location, a high degree of proliferation, and the deregulation of the MYC gene. The sporadic BL occurs mainly in older children and young adults and presents as abdominal disease, followed by the head and neck, including lymph nodes, oropharynx, tonsils, and sinuses. BL is composed of monotonous infiltrate of medium-sized cells with numerous mitoses, apoptotic cells, and scattered macrophages with engulfed apoptotic bodies, creating a “starry-sky” appearance. Medium-sized nuclei and lack of pleomorphism distinguish BL from Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The differential diagnosis of BL includes DLBCLs that may resemble BL morphologically or phenotypically. DLBCL usually shows more pleomorphic infiltrate without a starrysky appearance, composed of centroblasts, immunoblasts, or cells with cytologic features overlapping among centroblasts or immunoblasts.
