SMALL NON-CLEAVED FOLLICULAR CENTER CELL LYMPHOMA - CLINICOPATHOLOGIC COMPARISON OF BURKITT AND NON-BURKITT VARIANTS IN FINNISH MATERIAL

A retrospective clinical and histopathological analysis was made of patients with small non-cleaved-type malignant lymphoma according to the classification of Lukes-Collins. Nineteen cases were classified as the Burkitt type and 41 cases as the non-Burkitt type. The non-Burkitt type was more variable cytologically. A bimodal age distribution was seen in both subgroups. One half in both subtypes had an advanced disease (stage III-IV). Lymphadenopathy was slightly more common in the non-Burkitt type. No patient with non-Burkitt''s lymphoma had mediastinal involvement (P < 0.01). Liver and spleen were not involved by the tumor of the Burkitt type (P < 0.005). Gastrointestinal involvement was seen in both types without differences. No statistical differences between the overall survivals of these subtypes were observed.