Sporadic Burkitt Lymphoma of the Thoracic and Lumbar Spinal Canal in an Adult: Oncogenicity and a Literature Review

Abstract

Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is an aggressive form of lymphoma that occurs due to translocation of the c-myc proto-oncogene on chromosome 8. BL is characterized by three distinct groups: African/endemic variant, immunosuppressive variant, or sporadic variant. Most cases of the sporadic variant occur in patients less than 40 years of age with a median age of 30 at diagnosis and are primarily seen in Caucasians. An immunocompetent 69-year-old male presented with subacute onset weakness in the lower extremities. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lumbar spine revealed a mass in the right paraspinal musculature with epidural extension, neural foraminal narrowing, and severe spinal canal stenosis in L2-L5. MRI of the thoracic spine revealed significant T5-T6 cord compression due to metastatic masses. Further diagnostic imaging revealed diffuse lymphadenopathy within the mediastinum and abdomen. Subsequently, the patient underwent a core needle biopsy of the left axillary lymph node, which revealed cluster of differentiation 20 and 10 (CD20 and CD10), c-myc, and B-cell lymphoma 6 (Bcl-6) positive lymphoid cells. A diagnosis of BL was made. The patient was treated with oral steroids and received one round of radiation therapy. The patient opted to forgo any antitumor treatment and was discharged to hospice. Primary lymphomas of the central nervous system (CNS) account for <5% of all CNS tumors. Approximately 5-10% of CNS lymphomas are recorded as BL, with the majority classified as high-grade B-cell lymphomas. Paraspinal involvement with BL is rare and not commonly seen in the sporadic variant.