LYMPHOSARCOMA OF JAWS RESEMBLING BURKITT'S TUMOR

Six cases of lymphosarcoma originating as primaries in the jaws were selected from biopsy and autopsy materials of the Department of Oral Pathology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, from 1963 through 1970. These cases are recognized as an unusual lymphosarcoma syndrome characterized by primary occurrence in the jaw bones, principally of children, the frequency of multiple origin from the molar regions, the relative infrequency of peripheral lymphadenopathy, the monotonous infiltration of undifferentiated lymphoid cells with the frequent appearance of a “starry sky” pattern, and a fulminant fatal course. These clinical and histological findings resemble those of poorly differentiated lymphosarcoma of Burkitt's type.