Sporadic Burkitt's lymphoma of the jaws: the essentials of prompt life-saving referral and management.

Burkitt's lymphoma is an undifferentiated non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma. Three clinical subtypes are recognized: African (endemic), American (sporadic) and HIV associated. Sporadic Burkitt's lymphoma is a rare malignancy among western populations. This report describes a case of sporadic Burkitt's lymphoma of the jaws with an alarmingly rapid spread associated with acute renal failure. This type of rapid progression bespeaks the need for prompt recognition and life-saving referral by the dental practitioner. The clinical features of Burkitt's lymphoma involving the jaws include severely hypermobile, ectopically displaced and supra-erupted teeth. The purpose of this case report and review of the literature is to illustrate the clinical and histopathologic features of Burkitt's lymphoma to help clinicians recognize such cases readily and facilitate prompt and potentially life-saving referral.