Burkitts lymphoma (biopsy proven) of the large bowel with bilateral hydronephrosis secondary to encasement of bilateral ureters.
Burkitt lymphoma 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 monoclonal proliferation of B lymphocytes characterized by small noncleaved cells that produce a diffuse pattern of tissue involvement.
The African form most often involves the maxilla or mandible. The involvement of abdominal organs, such as the kidneys, ovaries, or retroperitoneal structures, is slightly less common. In contrast, the sporadic form usually involves abdominal organs, with the most common involvement of the distal ileum, cecum, or mesentery and less common involvement of other abdominal organs, pelvic organs, and facial bones.The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been implicated strongly in the African form, while the relationship is less clear in the sporadic form.