Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) is the most frequent childhood non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphoma (NHML) in Europe and accounts for 5 to 10% of adult NHML. Age distribution is similar to that of endemic BL, with a male:female ratio of 3.7:1. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) association is found in 15% of cases. A better definition of this monoclonal B-cell malignant proliferation is cytogenetic (i.e., 8;14 or variant translocation). Abdominal masses are initially present in 70% of cases, whereas the jaw is involved in only 4%. The disease is characterized by its overwhelming evolution in the absence of therapy. However, complete remission is usually obtained after the first chemotherapy regimen. In the past, death has been related to cerebrospinal fluid involvement, local recurrence or secondary marrow involvement. Today, it is expected that more than 80% of BL cases will be cured, i.e., 100% of stages I and II abdominal, 70% of stage II non-abdominal and stage III, and 50% of stage IV. Ninety percent of patients alive with no evidence of disease eight months after complete remission can be considered as definitively cured.
伯基特淋巴瘤（BL）是欧洲最常见的儿童非霍奇金恶性淋巴瘤（NHML），占成人NHML的5%至10%。年龄分布与地方性BL相似，男女比例为3.7:1。15%的病例中发现与爱泼斯坦-巴尔病毒（EBV）有关联。对这种单克隆B细胞恶性增殖的更好定义是细胞遗传学方面的（即8;14或变异易位）。70%的病例最初表现为腹部肿块，而仅有4%累及颌部。该疾病的特点是在未经治疗时进展迅速。然而，通常在首个化疗方案后可实现完全缓解。过去，死亡与脑脊液受累、局部复发或继发性骨髓受累有关。如今，预计超过80%的BL病例将被治愈，即I期和II期腹部病例的100%、II期非腹部和III期病例的70%以及IV期病例的50%。完全缓解八个月后无疾病证据存活的患者中，90%可被视为已彻底治愈。
