Secondary Glomerulonephritis due to Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

Glomerulonephritis is an inflammatory process in the glomerular region of the kidney with a clinical spectrum
ranging from isolated asymptomatic proteinuria to nephrotic syndrome. The etiology of glomerulonephritis, either
primary or secondary, must be determined at the start of the diagnostic process. A 21-year-old woman presented
with swollen legs, slight shortness of breath, and a history of glomerulonephritis. Physical examination revealed
venous distensions in the anterior neck and anterior thoracic regions. Laboratory results indicated proteinuria,
hypoalbuminemia, and cholesterolemia. Further examinations indicated a suspicious right lung mass on a chest film,
and computerized tomography showed a solid right lung mass staged as T4NxMx. The histopathology result was
non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and the patient was diagnosed with secondary glomerulonephritis caused by malignancy.
Primary therapy for secondary glomerulonephritis calls for cause management, so this involved chemotherapy for
the non-Hodgkin lymphoma malignancy.