A Case of the Minimal Change Nephropathy Associated with Small Cell Lung Cancer

Nephrotic syndrome is a relatively rare complication of malignancy. A few cases of nephrotic syndrome accompanying Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia and other malignancies have been reported since the first case of the nephrotic syndrome associated with extrarenal malignancy was reported in 1922. Hodgkin's disease and solid tumors are known to be the most common malignancies accompanying nephrotic syndrome. The pathologic findings of kidney in patients with Hodgkin's disease commonly show minimal change nephropathy. Membranous glomerulonephropathy is the most common pathologic feature in patients with solid tumors. Although membranous glomerulonephropathy related to small cell lung cancer has rarely been reported in Korea, minimal change nephropathy accompanying small cell lung cancer has never been reported. We present here a case of a 70 year-old male with minimal change nephropathy that was related to small cell lung cancer. We detected small cell lung cancer during the diagnosis work-up of nephrotic syndrome. We suggest that nephrotic syndrome can be a manifestation of underlying malignancy.