Background: Burkitt`s lymphoma is the predominant paediatric lymphoma in Sudan.
Objective: To characterize the clinical and haematological pattern of Burkitt`s Lymphoma among Sudanese children
Methods: This study was undertaken prospectively on paediatric cases (≤16 years) referred to Radio-Isotope Centre Khartoum which is the main Centre for cancer management. The clinical data, full blood count and bone marrow aspirate and biopsy were obtained. Cases with frank leukaemia i.e. bone marrow blast count more than 20%, were excluded.
Results: A total of 60 pediatric cases with BL were identified .Age range was 9 months to 16years. Male to female ratio was 1.6. Sixty percent were Extranodal lymphoma .The most commonly affected site was the gastrointestinal tract. Bone marrow involvement was in 87.5% of the cases at the time of diagnosis. Blood indices are normal in 20% of cases. Sixty one percent of our cases were anaemic; microcytic hypochromic anemia was the commonest type. Three cases were thrombocytopenic at the time of diagnosis and 62% have normal white blood count.
Conclusion: The Majority of Sudanese children with BL presented late with bone marrow involvement. Bone marrow infiltration cannot be assessed from blood indices findings only and a bone marrow biopsy for staging is mandatory.