Question:easy
Starry sky appearance is seen in -
Starry sky appearance is seen in -
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Think of the fastest growing lymphoma with tingible body macrophages and c-MYC translocation.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
- Burkitt lymphoma
- CLL
- Diffuse large B cell lymphoma
- ALCL
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The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Read the descriptor first. A starry sky picture means a dark cellular field studded with bright dots. The bright dots are macrophages packed with phagocytosed apoptotic debris, and the dark field is a confluent mass of malignant lymphocytes turning over extremely fast.
Step 2: Only one listed entity fits this kinetic profile. Burkitt lymphoma is among the fastest growing human tumours, so cell birth and cell death both run high. Tingible body macrophages clear the dead cells continuously, and their clear cytoplasm makes them stand out as the stars.
Step 3: Confirm by molecular signature. Burkitt lymphoma is defined by c-MYC dysregulation through t(8;14) or its variants t(2;8) and t(8;22), with EBV association in the endemic African form. This explains the runaway proliferation that generates the pattern.
Step 4: Rule out the rest. CLL grows slowly and shows smudge cells, so no starry sky. Diffuse large B cell lymphoma and ALCL are aggressive too but do not classically display the uniform macrophage scatter that defines the appearance. Therefore the single best match is Burkitt lymphoma.
\[\boxed{\text{Burkitt lymphoma}}\]
Step 2: Only one listed entity fits this kinetic profile. Burkitt lymphoma is among the fastest growing human tumours, so cell birth and cell death both run high. Tingible body macrophages clear the dead cells continuously, and their clear cytoplasm makes them stand out as the stars.
Step 3: Confirm by molecular signature. Burkitt lymphoma is defined by c-MYC dysregulation through t(8;14) or its variants t(2;8) and t(8;22), with EBV association in the endemic African form. This explains the runaway proliferation that generates the pattern.
Step 4: Rule out the rest. CLL grows slowly and shows smudge cells, so no starry sky. Diffuse large B cell lymphoma and ALCL are aggressive too but do not classically display the uniform macrophage scatter that defines the appearance. Therefore the single best match is Burkitt lymphoma.
\[\boxed{\text{Burkitt lymphoma}}\]
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