A Case of Burkitts' lymphoma of the Ileum end to Leukemic Transformation

Hidetaka Yamanaka, Akihiko Hori, Tomonori Sugiura, Tohru Kawai, Satoru Kawai, Kiyoshi Hiramatsu, Yoshimi Kitagawa, Hiroshi Kono and Yutaka Matsuura

Department of Surgery, Nagoya Ekisaikai Hospital

Primary malignant lymphoma of the small intestine is next highest in frequency following the stomach. Burkitts' primary malignant lymphoma (Burkitts' lymphoma) of the small intestine is rare, as are cases leading to leukemic transformation, only 2 of the latter have been reported in Japanese including our case. Additionally, our case showed anormaly of chromosome. An 83-year-old woman was referred to our department due to melena during admission for a fractured left femur. A mass 10 cm in diameter with tenderness was palpated on right lower abdomen. She was diagnosed with malignant lymphoma of the cecum by abdominal computed tomography (CT) and colono fiberscopy and ilececal resection was done. The resected specimen showed a tumor at the terminal ileum with a "starry sky" appearance microscopically, so she was diagnosed with Burkitts' lymphoma of the ileum. Two weeks after surgery, her general condition worsened. Blood tests showed extremely elevated white blood cell count and the occurrence of lymphoblasts. She was diagnosed with leukemic transformation and started on chemotherapy, but the disease progressed and she died 3 weeks postoperatively.

Key words
chromosomal abnormalities, acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Reprint requests
Hidetaka Yamanaka Department of Surgery, Nagoya Ekisaikai Hospital 4-66 Syonen-cho, Nakagawa-ku, Nagoya-shi, 454-8502 JAPAN

Accepted
March 28, 2001

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