Burkitt lymphoma is a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and is considered to be the fastest growing cancer in humans. In this form, cancer originates in the immune cells called B-cells. This leads to impaired immunity and can be very serious if not treated immediately.
Three types of Burkitt lymphoma are known, which includes:
- Endemic Burkitt lymphoma is common among the African population. It is commonly seen in children in the age group of 4 to 7 years. This cancer is twice as common in boys as in girls.
- Sporadic Burkitt lymphoma occurs worldwide and is common among children.
- Immunodeficiency-associated Burkitt lymphoma is found in people infected with HIV. It is often considered as an AIDS defining disease. People with congenital diseases that cause immunodeficiency and people who take immunosuppressive drugs are also prone to this type of cancer.
