Membranous glomerulonephritis associated with diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma: report of a case

Membranous glomerulonephritis is associated with a variety of malignant neoplasms. However, an association between membranous glomerulonephritis and pleural mesothelioma is very rare. We report herein a case of pleural mesothelioma associated with membranous glomerulonephritis. A 52-year-old man with severe proteinuria was diagnosed to have diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma. A left extrapleural pneumonectomy was thus performed. The proteinuria resolved postoperatively. However, 6 months postoperatively, the proteinuria recurred. A renal biopsy revealed membranous glomerulonephritis. Simultaneously, a recurrence of the mesothelioma in the left pleural cavity was confirmed. Although rare, membranous glomerulonephritis appears to be one type of paraneoplastic syndrome associated with malignant pleural mesothelioma.