Chemotherapy is the primary treatment because the disease is usually spread all over the body. Several different types of chemotherapy are given together. The Africa form is the most treatable. Cancer is said to be in remission, with no evidence of disease, when it has been successfully treated. The remission in Burkitt lymphoma may be long-lasting.
The side effects depend on the medicines used to treat the cancer. After treatment is completed, the side effects go away. The most common side effects are nausea, fatigue, and being more likely to develop infections.
After treatment, the person will have to be monitored closely to make sure that the cancer doesn't come back. It is usually necessary for the person to have close medical followup for the rest of his or her life.
CT scans, special X-rays, and physical examination are used to monitor the body's response to treatment. These same tests are also used to check whether the disease has come back. Bloods tests, including a CBC, are used during treatment to monitor for side effects, such as low blood cell amounts.