Burkitt`s lymphoma involving the femur in a 12 year old girl a rare presentation

Abstract

In this report we described a case of 12-year-old female who presented to our hospital with a 2 months history of painful swollen left thigh and 6 weeks history of lower abdominal swelling associated with low grade feversand night sweats. On examination she had generalized lymhpadenopathy, swollen shiny tender left thigh and lower abdominal mass. She had hepatosplenomegaly with no ascitis. X-ray of the left femur showed  features highly suggestive of a primary bone tumor. Abdominal pelvic ultrasound revealed intrabdominal involvement to the Liver, left Kidney and para-aortic lymphnodes. Histological results from the thigh and the abdominal mass revealed features of diffuse large cell lymphoma, Burkitt’s type. The Diagnosis of Burkitt`s lymphoma with multicentre involvement of the left femur and abdominal visceral was reached.However it was not established whether femur was the primary or secondarily involved. This patient was started on Chemotherapy and she recovered well. Burkitt`s Lymphoma of a long bone are very rare. Radiologically they mimic other form of bone tumors such as Ewing sarcoma and Osteosarcoma in children. Thus histological diagnosis is very crucial in order toavoid mistaken amputations.

KEY WORDS: Bone tumor, Burkitts Lymphoma, Histopathology, Chemotherapy