Burkitt’s lymphoma was discovered in 1956 in Central Africa. Little is known as to why the disease developed but a link was made to the very low immunity of malaria ravaged children, particularly the under twelves, which allowed the virus to change affected cells into cancerous ones.
Burkitt’s most commonly affects the areas of the jaw (mandibular), the orbital region of the eye (orbital) and the abdomen (abdominal). The disease causes massive swellings that grow very quickly. The growing cells are cancerous, and the swellings can also affect breathing and abdominal organ function in mandibular or abdominal cases. In orbital cases, the swellings can cause complete blindness.
Burkitt’s responds very rapidly to treatment. If the disease is caught early and a patient completes the full two year course of treatment, the disease is totally curable.
The drugs are expensive and tragically children die needlessly because the parents can’t afford the full treatment.
