New Gene Test Zones in on Burkitt Lymphoma

FEATURED SEARCH TERM: Burkitt lymphoma


Burkitt lymphoma is an enigma: Aggressive and swiftly fatal if left untreated but curable with intensive therapy if caught soon enough. Watch for a forthcoming article in the New England Journal of Medicine about a genetic marker that should offer a better way to diagnose the disease and distinguish it from less rapidly destructive forms of lymphoma such as diffuse large B cell lymphoma, which should lead to faster and more effective treatment.


RESULT: Diagnostic Breakthrough for Burkitt Lymphoma Reported in NEJM
Psych Central | June 9, 2012 (FREE FULL TEXT)


Burkitt lymphoma, associated with oncogenic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), is endemic to equatorial Africa, where a plant called Euphorbia tirucalli  is often used as an herbal remedy. Its geographical distribution matches that of endemic Burkitt lymphoma. The investigators of this study inquired whether exposure to E. tirucalli (also known as pencil tree or milk bush) could contribute to lymphomagenesis. If this plant may lead to genomic alterations related to EBV and Burkitt lymphoma in the “Lymphoma Belt of Africa,” what’s the trigger elsewhere?

RESULT: EBV Reactivation and Chromosomal Polysomies: Euphorbia tirucalli as a Possible Cofactor in Endemic Burkitt Lymphoma
Advances in Hematology | Apr 24, 2012 (FREE FULL TEXT)