Small non-cleaved follicular center cell lymphoma: clinicopathologic comparison of Burkitt and non-Burkitt variants in Finnish material.

A retrospective clinical and histopathological analysis was made of patients with small non-cleaved-type malignant lymphoma according to the classification of Lukes-Collins. Nineteen cases were classified as the Burkitt type and 41 cases as the non-Burkitt type. The non-Burkitt type was more variable cytologically. A bimodal age distribution was seen in both subgroups. One half in both subtypes had an advanced disease (stage III-IV). Lymphadenopathy was slightly more common in the non-Burkitt type. No patient with non-Burkitt's lymphoma had mediastinal involvement (P less than 0.01). Liver and spleen were not involved by the tumor of the Burkitt type (P less than 0.005). Gastrointestinal involvement was seen in both types without differences. No statistical differences between the overall survivals of these subtypes were observed.