## Burkitt Lymphoma and t(8;14) **Key Point:** The translocation t(8;14)(q24;q32) is pathognomonic for Burkitt lymphoma, occurring in >95% of cases. ### Molecular Mechanism This translocation juxtaposes the **MYC oncogene** (chromosome 8q24) with the **immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) locus** (chromosome 14q32), resulting in constitutive MYC overexpression and uncontrolled cell proliferation. ### Variant Translocations Approximately 5% of Burkitt lymphomas carry variant translocations: - t(2;8)(p12;q24) — MYC with kappa light chain locus - t(8;22)(q24;q11) — MYC with lambda light chain locus These variants have identical pathogenic consequences but occur less frequently. **High-Yield:** MYC translocation is the defining genetic feature of Burkitt lymphoma and is required for diagnosis. It is also present in some cases of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with poor prognosis ("double-hit" or "triple-hit" lymphomas). **Clinical Pearl:** Burkitt lymphoma is one of the fastest-growing human tumours, with a doubling time of ~24 hours. The MYC translocation drives this aggressive proliferation. ### Diagnostic Approach | Feature | t(8;14) | Variant Translocations | |---------|---------|------------------------| | Frequency | >95% | ~5% | | Gene involved | MYC | MYC | | Partner locus | IgH | Ig light chain | | Prognostic significance | Same | Same | **Mnemonic:** **BL-MYC-14** — Burkitt Lymphoma, MYC gene, chromosome 14 (IgH).
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