Minimal-change nephropathy associated with pancreatic carcinoma

A 67-year-old man presented with nephrotic syndrome and polymyalgia rheumatica. A renal biopsy revealed minimal-change nephropathy. The proteinuria and rheumatologic findings responded to prednisone therapy. The patient presented three months later with biliary tract obstruction secondary to pancreatic adenocarcinoma metastatic to the liver. The glomerulopathy and polymyalgia rheumatica in this case seemed to be components of the paraneoplastic syndrome. The response of both entities to prednisone therapy supports the hypothesis that they are caused by derangements in cell-mediated immunity. The fact that the tumor progressed despite resolution of the nephrosis and polymyalgia rheumatica suggests that cell-mediated immunity in general is altered by the tumor and not that the carcinoma liberates a factor that directly damages the kidney.