[Early relapse of Burkitt's lymphoma with t(8;14) and t(14;18) after rituximab-combined CODOX-M and IVAC therapy]

Abstract

A 43-year-old female was admitted with therapy-resistant pancreatitis and an abdominal tumor around the pancreatic head. Laboratory data revealed leukocytosis with a white blood cell count of 18200/microl, 25% atypical cells and an LDH of 13410 IU/l. The bone marrow was comprised of 78.4 percent lymphoblastoid cells which were positive for CD10, CD19 and CD20, and the cytogenetic study of which demonstrated the presence of t(8;14) (q24;q32) and t(14;18) (q32;q21) in the same clone. The patient was diagnosed as having Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) with t(8;14) and t(14;18). Although CODOX-M and IVAC therapy combined with rituximab achieved complete remission, she died of rapid progressive disease during whole brain irradiation before autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. Even if the intensive chemotherapy with rituximab is given adequately, durable remission may not be achieved in BL with translocation of t(8;14) and t(14;18). A more effective therapy remains to be established for the treatment of this disease.