Nephrotic syndrome associated with T-cell lymphoma.

Glomerulopathies associated with non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphomas have been observed rarely. Previous reports have never determined the cell type of the lymphoproliferative disorder. This report documents a case of nephrotic syndrome in a patient with T-cell derived non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The neoplastic cell was studied in terms of cell-surface markers, cytochemical staining, and ultrastructural morphology. Nephrotic syndrome occurred shortly after the apparent onset of the lymphoma. The kidney biopsy specimen was examined by light, fluorescence, and electron microscopy. Histologic findings were consistent with the diagnosis of mild focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis. Such an association, reported here for the first time, may support the hypothesis of a pathogenetic link between acquired T-cell abnormalities and glomerular diseases with minimal histologic injury.