title: Endemic Burkitt Lymphoma: Long-term Outcome in 87 Patients Who Presented With Paraplegia in Cameroon.
abstract: The reported long-term outcome of endemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL) patients who present with paraplegia is largely unknown. Records of BL patients treated with comparable short-interval cyclophosphamide chemotherapy schedules between 2004 and 2014 at three Baptist mission hospitals in Cameroon were reviewed. Survivors were followed up and examined at home or in hospital. Eighty-seven of 948 (9.2%) patients had paraplegia at diagnosis. The survival rate in eBL patients with paraplegia at diagnosis was 33% (n = 29) after follow-up of between 2 and 96 (median 40) months. Seven patients (24%) had neurological sequelae and needed rehabilitation. There was no relationship between the duration of symptoms (<2, 2-4, >4 weeks) and the survival rate or the risk to have neurological sequelae. The survival rate and risk for sequelae were similar in patients with confirmed St. Jude stage III and IV diseases.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Tygerberg Children's Hospital , University of Stellenbosch , Stellenbosch , South Africa.
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Hesseling
authors.affiliation: b Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Board , Kumbo , Cameroon.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mbah
authors.affiliation: c Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Board , Mbingo , Cameroon.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kouya
authors.affiliation: c Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Board , Mbingo , Cameroon.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kimbi
authors.affiliation: d Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Board , Bamenda , Cameroon.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nfor
authors.affiliation: b Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Board , Kumbo , Cameroon.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaah
authors.affiliation: e East Lancashire NHS Trust , Liverpool , UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kuruvilla
authors.affiliation: f Royal Liverpool Hospital , Liverpool , UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Best
authors.affiliation: g Beryl Thyer Memorial Africa Trust , Warkton , UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wharin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015996:Survival Rate
keywords: endemic Burkitt lymphoma; outcome; paraplegia