Photo Credit: Mi-viri
The following is a summary of “Nephrotic syndrome associated with solid malignancies: a systematic review,” published in the July 2024 issue of Nephrology by Liu et al.
Nephrotic syndrome (NS) sometimes happens alongside cancer, known as paraneoplastic NS (PNS). It is often mistaken for other kidney issues related to cancer treatment, delaying proper diagnosis and treatment.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study reviewing clinical data from 128 cases of NS with solid cancers to understand better how to manage PNS clinically.
They searched PubMed for articles up to October 2023 using keywords like “cancer,” “malignant neoplasms,” “neoplasia,” “tumors,” and “NS.” Data were extracted from case reports and series, with methods ensuring patient data identification at the individual level.
The results showed 105 cases of PNS and 23 cases of NS were caused by cancer treatment. The median diagnosis age was 60, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.8:1; NS appeared before, alongside, or after tumor diagnosis in 36%, 30%, and 34% of cases, respectively. Membranous nephropathy was most common (49%), especially with lung, colorectal, or breast cancer. High remission rates were seen whether treatment targeted cancer alone or both cancer and NS.
Investigators concluded that certain cancer types may link to specific NS forms in patients with PNS. Early detection of PNS and appropriate treatment were crucial in improving patient outcomes.
Source: bmcnephrol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12882-024-03632-9
