[Burkitt-like lymphoma: diagnosis, clinical features, and response to chemotherapy (author's transl)].

The Burkitt-like lymphoma is extremely rare. It shows a predominance of presentation in abdominal and pelvic sites and an older median age as compared to the endemic Burkitt's lymphoma. Both are independent prognostic determinants and reflect a poor prognosis. This might be the reason for the low response rate to cytotoxic treatment. Cyclophosphamide is a substantial part of any chemotherapeutic regimen used. Serum lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) levels are closely correlated with the extent of tumor mass and the response to therapy. Chemotherapy might be associated with serious metabolic complications including hyperkalemia, lactic acidosis, anuria, and sudden death from lethal embolization of the lung. In contrast to Burkitt's lymphoma, the Burkitt-like tumor has no association with the Epstein-Barr-virus. In both lymphomas a translocation from the 8q onto 14q chromosome occurs being a characteristic marker for these malignancies.