title: Primary retroperitoneal non-Hodgkin lymphoma presenting with torturous generalized pruritus in an elderly.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A case of a rare primary retroperitoneal non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), which presented with torturous generalized pruritus in a 74-year-old female patient is reported
  
  
  METHODS
  Case report.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Explorative laparotomy was performed after imaging revealed a pelvic mass and an ovarian tumour was suspected. After the frozen section revealed a lymphoma, extensive surgery was omitted. The patient was successfully treated with courses of Bleo-CHOP regimen (complete response) and pruritus resolved entirely after completing the second course of chemotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This report indicates the need of thorough investigation of the peritoneal cavity for the presence of NHL in cases presenting as unexplained pruritus in the elderly. In this setting the presence of a retroperitoneal pelvic mass must raise the suspicion for the possibility of the rare retroperitoneal NHL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Thessaly Medical School, 41222 Larissa, Greece. dapontea@otenet.gr
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Daponte
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ioannou
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gioti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kallitsaris
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Dalekos
authors.forename: I E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Messinis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011537:Pruritus / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014750:Vincristine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone