Burkitt’s Lymphoma is a type of B cell lymphoma that is classically seen in african children and which without treatment is usually fatal.

Its pathogenesis is a wonderful example of cancer genetics.

It involves a gain of function mutation in the majorly important oncogene c-myc.

In this video we discuss this oncogene and how it becomes dysregulated in Burkitt’s lymphoma.

A case of sporadic Burkitt lymphoma

Adam Olszewski, MD, Brown University, Providence, RI, discusses the development of the Burkitt Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (BL-IPI), aiming to better stratify patients into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk subgroups based on prognostic factors. Identified from a large real-world evidence cohort of US adult Burkitt lymphoma (BL) patients, the variables which provided the highest prognostic values were age ≥40 years, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, ECOG performance status, and central nervous system invasion. Following validation with an international cohort, the index performed well and was able to stratify patients similarly to the trial cohort, where low-, intermediate-, and high-risk patients with BL exhibited progression-free survival rates of 96%, 72%, and 63%, respectively. This novel index could identify low-risk patients for de-escalation and high-risk patients who could benefit from novel treatment approaches. This interview took place during the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition, 2020.

Andrew M. Evens, DO, Director of the Lymphoma Program at Rutgers Cancer Institute, talks about New Prognostic Indicator for Burkitt Lymphoma.

Burkitt lymphoma is a rare, and very aggressive, blood cancer that is in need of a standardized prognostic model to help guide how the condition is managed.

Until now, there has not been uniform agreement on how best to classify patients with this condition but a group of clinical researchers from cancer centers around the world has now developed a new prognostic index that was recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

According to Dr. Evens, the index includes four key components that will likely determine if the person with Burkitt lymphoma outcome. The four factors are:
1. Age greater than or equal to 40 yrs
2. ECOG performance status greater than or equal to 2
3. Serum lactate dehydrogenase levels 3 times the upper limit
4. CNS involvement

Persons with two or more above the above factors can be considered high-risk, according to Dr. Evens.

Jamie Dargart, MD, Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist at ProMedica Toledo Children's Hospital, touches on Mark Mackowiak's cancer journey.