- Burkitt, Denis P(arsons)
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born Feb. 28, 1911, Enniskillen, N.Ire.died March 23, 1993, EnglandBritish surgeon and medical researcher.He discovered Burkitt lymphoma, a lethal cancer of the lymphatic system with a high incidence among children. He showed that it was common in equatorial African regions where malaria and yellow fever are endemic and linked it to Epstein-Barr virus in children with immune systems depressed by chronic malaria. He later helped develop an effective chemotherapy treatment. Burkitt was also known for his theory that a high-fibre diet protects against colon cancer, publicized in his book Don't Forget Fibre in Your Diet (1979).
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Universalium. 2010.