Work

Burkitt’s Lymphoma of the Uterine Cervix in a Woman with Advanced HIV Disease: A Case Report on Challenges with Its Management in a Low Resource Setting

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Background: Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) affecting the female genital tract is rare. Objective: The aim of this paper is to report BL of the cervix in an HIV-positive patient to discuss the fatality of the condition and ways to mitigate it through advocacy for improved health care delivery in resource limited settings. Methods: The patient was a 29-year-old woman, Para 1, with abnormal vaginal bleeding for a month and living with HIV and had a CD4 of 26 cells/μL. The histological examination of the cervical biopsy confirmed an extra-nodal BL. She had International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage 3B cervical cancer based on presence of hydronephrosis and pelvic wall involvement. The patient was reviewed at the oncology multidisciplinary meeting and required chemoradiation. There was delay in her management due to a long waiting list for chemoradiation at oncology unit in the referral center and the patient demised 43 days after diagnosis and did not receive the treatment. Results: This case suggests that women living with HIV who have BL should be fast-tracked for treatment as HIV viremia may worsen the prognosis of the malignancy. Following the encounter with the index patient an advocacy action plan has been made by the oncology multidisciplinary team to prioritize the treatment of women with aggressive histological types of cervical cancer. Conclusion: A long waiting list for chemoradiation in low resource settings may delay management of advanced BL of the cervix. Inadequate cervical cancer screening and delays in diagnosis are other barriers to the care of women with aggressive cervical cancers in low resource settings. Systemic changes in healthcare delivery are therefore required in many low resource settings. Advocacy for patients particularly those with aggressive diseases using the index case as a point of reference is ideal and should be promoted in resource-limited settings to improve health care delivery.

Source: International Medical Case Reports Journal

DOI: 10.2147/imcrj.s500905

Authors: Lisa de Miranda, Bernard Uzabakiriho, Melanie Louw, Nnabuike Chibuoke Ngene

Institution: University of the Witwatersrand

Language: English

Topic: Viral-associated cancers and disorders

Subfield: Oncology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,320