Cystic echinococcosis in the thigh: a case report.

Intramuscular cystic echinococcosis is a very rare occurrence. Herein we report a case of a 37-year-old patient who presented with progressive swelling of his left thigh. Ultrasound evaluation showed a multicystic, encapsulated lesion (16 × 3.5 × 8.5 cm) in the M. vastus lateralis, and serology confirmed the diagnosis of Echinococcus granulosus s.l. infection. No additional cysts were detected upon total body CT scan. The patient was treated with albendazole pre-operatively; surgical resection of the mass was then successfully performed. The patient feels well and no signs of residual infestation were seen after 2 years of follow-up.

Routine use of bendamustine and rituximab combination therapy in consecutive patients with lymphoproliferative diseases: a survey from Tyrolean hospitals.

BACKGROUND: The objective was to demonstrate feasibility and therapeutic efficacy of routine clinical use of the bendamustine/rituximab combination in lymphoproliferative diseases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data were collected retrospectively from 71 patients treated with bendamustine/rituximab combination in Tyrol/Austria. Toxicities, therapeutic response, and survival outcome in the various lymphoma entities were analyzed. RESULTS: There was considerable hematotoxicity, with neutropenia and thrombocytopenia of grade 3 or 4 in 33% and 18%, respectively. Interestingly, severe infection of grade 3 or 4 was observed in a remarkable percentage of patients with aggressive lymphoma and CLL (21% and 28%, respectively) but not in indolent lymphoma (p = 0.027). Overall, the therapeutic efficacy of bendamustine/rituximab was encouraging. In CLL, an overall response rate (ORR) of 65% was achieved. Notably, in the seven previously untreated CLL patients, ORR was 86%. The therapy was effective across all FISH-cytogenetic subgroups, except for the five patients harboring 17p deletion with unfavorable prognosis (PFS 2.7 months, OS 9.3 months). In indolent lymphoma (n = 25), the bendamustine-rituximab combination induced a remarkable therapeutic effect (ORR 96%, median PFS and OS not reached). In aggressive lymphoma (n = 20), ORR was 50%; in International Prognostic Index high-risk patients (4 or 5 risk factors, n = 10), ORR was only 20%, significantly inferior than in low/intermediate risk patients (ORR 70%; p = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: In the routine setting aside clinical studies, bendamustine/rituximab therapy resulted in marked clinical responses, especially in CLL and indolent lymphoma. In aggressive lymphoma, the combination of bendamustine and rituximab was effective in favorable risk patients.