Burkitt's Lymphoma is a specific lymphoma cancer that only effects certain B-cells that is very aggressive and tends to cause tumors and spread rapidly. Learn more about this rare but serious cancer in this video.
Live a healthy lifestyle
Have a healthy diets
Avoid toxins
Check for symptoms
Contact doctor immediately if suspected
Justin C. K. Davis, M.D. is one of San Francisco's finest house call specialist physicians, and has been providing house calls and office visits to the Bay Area since 2005. His practice is built upon a philosophy of excellent customer service and excellent patient care.
JUSTIN C.K. DAVIS, M.D.: Hi. My name is Dr. Justin Davis. Today, I would like to tell you about Burkitt's lymphoma. Now Burkitt's lymphoma is a specific kind of lymphoma. Lymphomas, that you can look at separately under the term lymphoma, are a series of cancers that affect the lymphocytes, a kind of immune cell that involve T and B kinds of lymphocytes. Now Burkitt's lymphoma is a specific kind that only affects certain B cells. Burkitt's lymphoma is not very common but when it does occur, it is a very aggressive and fast-growing lymphoma that tends to cause tumors that quickly enlarge. Luckily, in the United States, in the western world, Burkitt's lymphoma is very unusual; however, in parts of Central Africa it is much more common. Symptoms will include generalized symptoms of a lymphoma and cancer such as fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and malaise, but in the western countries Burkitt's lymphoma will usually present as a quickly growing tumor or swelling in the abdomen and the bowels that may later affect the eyes, the kidneys and other organs. In Africa where it is more common, Burkitt's lymphoma will usually present as a very rapidly expanding tumor in the jaw or the neck. Sometimes it will enlarge in size significantly within days or weeks. What can you do to treat this? Well the best thing is to catch it early. We usually treat it with a combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy and the good news is, is that when it presents early and it usually does because it is so fast growing, treatment is very successful and a complete cure is not uncommon at all. So we do not exactly know how to prevent it because we do not know what causes it but a healthy lifestyle, a healthy diet and avoiding any kind of known toxins is always helpful. And the important thing to remember is if you have some kind of rapidly growing tumor or unexplained symptoms that it is always important to let a doctor know right away.
Member Comments