Burkitt lymphoma arising from lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma following acquisition of MYC translocation and loss of the ETV6 tumor suppressor gene

Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2013 Jan;137(1):130-3. doi: 10.5858/arpa.2011-0429-CR.

Abstract

Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma is a mature B-cell lymphoma with variable plasmacytic differentiation that displays an indolent clinical course. Its transformation to a high-grade B-cell lymphoma may occur uncommonly. Although acquisition of a MYC translocation could result in transformation of a low-grade lymphoma into diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma, or B-lymphoblastic leukemia, to our knowledge the latter 2 transformations have not been well documented in lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma. We report the case of a 70-year-old woman with a 9-year history of lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma/Waldenström macroglobulinemia who presented with rapid enlargement of a left neck mass and pancytopenia, which was diagnosed as Burkitt lymphoma with extensive bone marrow involvement. A series of histopathologic, molecular, and cytogenetic evaluations proved a cytogenetic evolution including t(8;14)(q24;q32)/MYC-IgH and identical clonal B-cell gene rearrangements from the 2 distinct lymphomas, confirming stage 4 aggressive Burkitt lymphoma arising from lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Burkitt Lymphoma / genetics*
  • Burkitt Lymphoma / pathology*
  • Cytogenetic Analysis
  • ETS Translocation Variant 6 Protein
  • Female
  • Gene Deletion
  • Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte
  • Genes, Tumor Suppressor
  • Genes, myc*
  • Humans
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets / genetics*
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics*
  • Time Factors
  • Translocation, Genetic
  • Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia / genetics*
  • Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia / pathology*

Substances

  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets
  • Repressor Proteins