Kidney involvement and renal manifestations in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and lymphocytic leukemia: a retrospective study in 700 patients

Renal involvement as part of systemic lymphoma (LY) is quite frequent, howe ver, primary extranodal renal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is extremely rar e, and only about 65 cases have been reported in the world literature. In a retrospective study of renal manifestations in 700 patients with documente d LY and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) seen at our hospital during 198 6-95, 83 patients had signs of acute renal failure. Only five of these had proven renal infiltration, but none of them satisfied the criteria for prim ary renal LY. Glomerulonephritis (GN) has also rarely been reported in asso ciation with LY and CLL, and only 37 glomerular lesions in NHL and 42 in CL L have been documented, respectively. GN may precede, coexist, or follow th e diagnosis of LY by several years. Of the 42 cases of CLL reported worldwi de 36 had nephrotic syndrome. Renal failure was seen in about one third. Th e most common glomerular lesion reported is membranoproliferative GN, follo wed by membranous GN. In our study, we found only five biopsy-proven cases with GN amongst the 700 patients seen. In this report we also briefly descr ibe some rare interesting associated renal syndromes in CLL and NHL.