Burkitt’s Lymphoma of the Colon: A Case Report and Review of the Texas Cancer Registry

Burkitt’s lymphoma (BL) is an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin’s B-cell lymphoma with gastrointestinal (GI) involvement, but very few cases report primary colonic findings. We report one case of primary sporadic BL of the colon with non-specific GI symptoms, and its morphologic and immunohistochemical features. In addition, we reviewed and analyzed data from the Texas Cancer Registry between the years 1995 and 2016 in order to provide insight into the demography and epidemiology of BL originating in the colon. This paper reports a 69-year-old male who presented with a history of irritable bowel syndrome, was diagnosed with BL in the colon, and subsequently developed abdominal compartment syndrome. Biopsies derived from the colon tumor at three different sites showed infiltrating malignant lymphoma of the lamina propria. Immunohistochemistry stains of lymphoma cells were positive for CD20, CD79a, CD10, MUM1, BCL6, C-MYC, and negative for BCL2, cyclin D1, CD5, and CD3. Ki-67 demonstrated a high proliferative index of 100%. Forty-nine cases of primary BL of the colon were reported to the Texas Cancer Registry between 1995 and 2016. The unadjusted incidence of BL originating in the colon in persons 18 years old and over was 1.32 per 10 million, and the majority of the cases involved non-Hispanic white males with cecum being the most common primary site. BL is a rapidly growing malignancy, hence, reporting cases of BL and its presenting symptoms can improve assessment and management. Our analysis from the Texas Cancer Registry further supports the rarity of primary sporadic BL in the colon.