Burkitt's lymphoma

Bur·kitt's lymphoma (bûrkts)

n.

An undifferentiated malignant lymphoma usually occurring among children in central Africa, characterized by a large osteolytic lesion in the mandible or by a mass in the retroperitoneal area and associated with the Epstein-Barr virus.

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Burkitt's lymphoma,

n.pr malignant undifferentiated lymphoma usually found in central African children, marked by an enlarged mandible or by a growth in the retroperitoneal area; has been linked to the Epstein-Barr virus.

Burkitt's lymphoma.

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Burkitt's lymphoma, Burkitt's tumor

a form of undifferentiated malignant lymphoma in humans and primates, especially marmosets and some gibbons. Usually found in central Africa, but also reported from other areas, and manifested most often as a large osteolytic lesion in the jaw or as an abdominal mass; called also African lymphoma.

The Epstein-Barr virus (EB virus), a gammaherpesvirus, has been isolated from Burkitt's lymphoma cells in culture, and has been implicated as a causative agent. The same virus causes the relatively benign, though debilitating, disease infectious mononucleosis (glandular fever) of humans.