Burkitt Lymphoma: An Atypical Presentation and Dismal Outcome

Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is a highly aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma that manifests more frequently in children than adults. Disease presentation in adults includes abdominal masses, B symptoms, tumor lysis, and central nervous system involvement, mainly in the leptomeninges. The central nervous system involvement is a common complication of this type of lymphoma, but it is unusual at presentation. The authors present the diagnostic challenges and therapeutic approach of a complex case of a 55-year-old man presenting with symptoms of spinal cord compression at diagnosis, an atypical presentation of Burkitt lymphoma.