Appendiceal and ovarian Burkitt's lymphoma presenting as acute appendicitis

Abstract

Burkitt's lymphoma is an extremely aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Patients with the sporadic form of Burkitt's lymphoma typically present with a rapidly growing abdominal mass, pain and distension. Involvement of either the appendix and/or ovaries in females is a rare manifestation of the disease. We present an unusual case of a 13 year old girl with appendiceal and ovarian Burkitt's lymphoma presenting with signs of acute appendicitis. This case demonstrates the potential for secondary involvement of the appendix and/or ovaries from Burkitt's lymphoma as well as the importance of the histopathology. Keywords: Appendicitis, Appendix, Burkitt's lymphoma, Lymphoma, Ovarian tumor