Burkitt-like lymphoma presenting as a periodontal disease in AIDS patients: a report of two cases.

Burkitt-like lymphoma of the oral cavity is relatively uncommon in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The lesion usually appears as a solitary ulcerated mass with rapid onset. Some may present initially as gingival inflammation which delays final diagnosis and treatment. This report describes the presentations of multifocal intraoral Burkitt-like lymphoma in two Thai heterosexual men with AIDS. The clinical features and the radiographic findings in both cases mimicked a periodontal disease, showing extensive widening of the periodontal ligament space and loss of lamina dura in all segments of the molar teeth. The patients eventually died 5 and 14 months after they were diagnosed with HIV infection.