acute lymphoblastic leukemia, L3 (Burkitt type, mature B-cell ALL)

Introduction

Burkitt type lymphocytic leukemia. Associated with mature B-cell ALL.

Epidemiology

• ~1% of cases in children and 9% of cases in adults.

Pathology

morphologic classification:

• large uniform cells,
• moderately abundant, deeply basophilic cytoplasm with prominent vacuoles
• regular nuclei, prominent nucleoli 'starry sky' pattern on bone marro biopsy

Management

• Distinction of L1, L2 & L3 not relevant to therapy.

More general terms

• acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)

Additional terms

• chromosomal translocation t8q24.1:14q32 (B-cell leukemia, Burkitt's lymphoma)
• PCR/in-situ hybridization for acute lymphoblastic leukemia