A 6-year-old boy presents with rapid swelling of the left maxilla over 4 weeks. Biopsy shows sheets of medium sized lymphoid cells with round nuclei, multiple small nucleoli, and a starry sky pattern. Cytogenetics would most likely show:
- A t(11;22) translocation involving EWSR1-FLI1
- B t(15;17) translocation involving PML-RARA
- C t(8;14) translocation involving MYC ✓
- D del(5q) deletion
Correct answer: C. t(8;14) translocation involving MYC
Explanation
Burkitt lymphoma, the commonest childhood non-Hodgkin lymphoma, classically presents as a rapidly growing jaw tumor in endemic regions. The starry sky pattern reflects benign tingible body macrophages scattered among proliferating malignant cells. It results from translocation of the MYC oncogene on chromosome 8 to the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus on chromosome 14, driving constitutive MYC expression. t(15;17) defines promyelocytic leukemia, t(11;22) defines Ewing sarcoma, and del(5q) is seen in myelodysplastic syndromes.
Reference: Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.