Fact 6: Grasping the Stages of Burkitt Lymphoma
Staging of Burkitt Lymphoma is integral to the patient’s treatment strategy. It is through staging that the spread of the cancerous cells is identified within the body. It entails thorough diagnostic examinations including imaging and lab tests. It also aids physicians in outlining the severity of the disease to the patients.
A commonly adopted system for staging Burkitt Lymphoma is the St. Jude’s staging system, generally used for non-Hodgkin lymphomas in children. This system classifies the disease into four stages. In Stage I, a single tumor outside the lymph nodes or a single anatomic area is involved. In Stage II, a single tumor outside the lymph nodes with regional nodes, or two nodal areas on the same side of the diaphragm, is present.
Stage III involves two single tumors on different sides of the diaphragm or specific primary intrathoracic tumors, extensive primary intra-abdominal disease, or all paraspinal or epidural tumors, irrespective of other tumor locations. Stage IV, the most critical stage, involves any of the situations mentioned above, coupled with the central nervous system’s initial involvement or the bone marrow.
The stage of the disease allows doctors to formulate a targeted treatment plan and gives patients a clear understanding of their disease’s progression. This understanding is critical for making informed decisions about their treatment path. While early-stage Burkitt Lymphoma might be treated with less intense therapies, later stages often demand more aggressive treatments. (6)
