A case report of nephrotic syndrome associated with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung

Introduction and Materials and methods: We encountered a case in which nephrotic syndrome developed after radiation therapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, an epithelial tumor; the patient's quality of life decreased markedly and treatment was extremely difficult, as reported here. Case and Discussion: In the current case, diagnosis of a malignant tumor came first; a paraneoplastic syndrome, nephrotic syndrome was found about a month later. Paraneoplastic syndromes are a group of conditions that occur with various malignant tumors; many neoplastic syndromes are reported with lung cancer in particular. Noted among these are Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome, hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, and the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone, but with paraneoplastic nephrotic syndrome symptoms due to nephrotic syndrome are also noted in addition to symptoms due to the malignant tumor, so QOL is markedly impaired. The patient's PS ultimately worsened, and nephrotic syndrome was treated with an oral prescription of corticosteroids. However, membranous nephropathy, which often complicates carcinomas, is generally resistant to corticosteroids and adverse effects due to corticosteroids can easily become more severe in the elderly, so to the extent possible a diagnosis should be reached early on with a kidney biopsy and then the condition should be treated.