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Case Reports
. 2023 Jan 11:10:1072567.
doi: 10.3389/fped.2022.1072567. eCollection 2022.

Case report: Primary ovarian Burkitt's lymphoma: A puzzling scenario in pediatric population

Giorgio Persano  1 , Alessandro Crocoli  1 , Cristina Martucci  2 , Luciana Vinti  3 , Giulia Cassanelli  4 , Alessandra Stracuzzi  5 , Antonello Cardoni  5 , Alessandro Inserra  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Case report: Primary ovarian Burkitt's lymphoma: A puzzling scenario in pediatric population

Giorgio Persano et al. Front Pediatr. .

Abstract

Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) is defined as a highly invasive B-cell lymphoma, usually characterized by an excellent prognosis, more than 90% of children and adolescents being cured with highly dose-intensive multiagent chemotherapy. Primary ovarian localization without involvement of other organs is a rare manifestation of BL, especially in pediatric population. Symptoms at diagnosis are similar to other ovarian lesions and differential diagnosis may be challenging for clinicians. A 12-year-old girl was referred to our institution for abdominal pain and palpable mass observed by the pediatrician. Diagnostic work-up demonstrated a large mass arising from the right ovary, causing compression on abdominal aorta, inferior vena cava, ureters and bowel, with a second smaller lesion on the left ovary. At surgery, a 15 cm-large, ruptured mass arising from the right ovary was found, associated with a second lesion originating from the left ovary (8 cm) and multiple nodules of the greater omentum. Right salpingo-oophorectomy was performed, incisional biopsies were taken from the left ovary and omental nodules and peritoneal fluid samples were collected for cytology. Pathology revealed a Burkitt lymphoma and the patient underwent chemotherapy according to AIEOP LNH-97 Protocol, group R3 with Rituximab. Preoperative diagnosis of primary ovarian lymphoma is extremely difficult. Surgical exploration is often necessary in patients presenting with acute abdominal or pelvic pain; when the suspicion of primary ovarian lymphoma arises intraoperatively, every effort should be made to minimize invasive procedure in order to enhance post-operative recovery.

Keywords: burkitt’s lymphoma; lymphoma; ovarian cancer; pediatrics; surgery.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Initial CT scan.
Figure 2
Figure 2
MRI images.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Histological aspect (Hematoxylin and Eosin stained tissue).
Figure 4
Figure 4
(A) CT scan after surgery (before chemotherapy); (B) CT scan after four cycles of chemotherapy.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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