Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is a non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma derived from germinal center lymphoid B cells; named after Dennis Parsons Burkitt, an Irish surgeon who first described it as sarcoma of jaws in children from equatorial Africa in 1958.¹ Burkitt lymphoma accounts for 1–5% of all non‑Hodgkin lymphoma cases. It is uncommon in adults and usually involves the gastrointestinal system, central nervous system or the head‑and‑neck region. Sporadic Burkitt’s lymphoma is relatively rare in the head and neck region, accounting for about 25% of all cases.² Burkitt’s lymphoma is the fastest-growing tumour in humans, with a cell-doubling time of about 24–48 hours.³ The etiology of this tumor is debatable, but strong evidence implicates Epstein-Barr virus in its development.⁴ Three distinct forms of Burkitt’s lymphoma have been described; each of them having own clinical and epidemiological features. Multi-agent chemotherapy is the mainstay of Burkitt’s lymphoma treatment.⁵

This case report presents the diagnostic challenges encountered in identifying oropharyngeal Burkitt lymphoma (BL) in a 41- year-old male who initially presented with mass lesion in oropharynx. Owing to rarity of BL in the oropharynx, this case underscores the importance of considering rare malignancies in atypical presentations and highlights the role of comprehensive diagnostic approaches in clinical management.