A 75-year-old man with stage IV CKD on a background of previously poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was reviewed in his routine renal outpatient appointment. His renal function had been slowly worsening for the past 2 years; however, on this occasion a marked increase in creatinine and proteinuria was noted despite excellent blood glucose control during the preceding 6 months, with an average glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) of 5% ().\nApart from the T2DM complicated by neuropathy and nephropathy, his past medical history also included hypertension.\nHe was compliant with all of his medications with no significant recent medication changes and his regular medications included gliclazide, moxonidine, telmisartan/amlodipine, oral iron sulfate and vadadustat (an oral prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor).\nHe was an ex-smoker having smoked during his teenage years and he consumed less than 3 units of alcohol/week.\nThere was no family history of renal disease or haematological malignancies.\nExamination revealed moderate lymphadenopathy in the left cervical region. There was no other peripheral lymphadenopathy and no hepatosplenomegaly. The remainder of the examination was normal.\nPlans for renal replacement therapy were made, including commencement of work-up to determine suitability for renal transplantation and to investigate the lymphadenopathy. A subsequent CT of his abdomen revealed extensive lymphadenopathy. Due to progressive fluid overload and worsening biochemical parameters, he was commenced on haemodialysis.
A 50-year-old female with a past medical history significant for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) presented with chief complaint of back pain for three weeks. Prior to her presentation, the patient was undergoing treatment for ITP wherein she had received four doses of weekly rituximab and recently completed a prednisone taper. A computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen and pelvis showed bilateral renal masses (6.6 x 4.2 cm on the right, 6.3 x 5 cm on the left) with upper para-aortic and right retro-crural lymphadenopathy (Figure ). Upon chart review, it was noted that the abdominal ultrasound done seven months prior to admission (for thrombocytopenia workup) was negative for renal masses. She was admitted for evaluation; laboratory workup showed white blood cell count 10.55 TH/uL, hemoglobin 12.3 g/dL, and platelet count 113 TH/uL. Her kidney function and liver function tests were normal. Lactate dehydrogenase was elevated at 763 IU/L (range 313-618). A CT guided biopsy of the left renal mass showed DLBL (Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) negative, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) negative for MYC rearrangement, but 71% of interphase cells showed three copies of an intact MYC (8q24.1), 65% positive for rearrangement of BCL6, no BCL2 fusion). Bone marrow biopsy and flow cytometry were negative. Positron emission tomography (PET)/CT showed left supraclavicular and retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy (standardized uptake values (SUV) 10.8 and 15.7 respectively) with hypermetabolic bilateral renal masses (SUV 15.3 and 17.5 on right and left respectively) (Figure ). Lumbar puncture cytology was negative. Given these findings, she was staged IVB and received intrathecal methotrexate for central nervous system (CNS) disease prevention. The next day, the patient was started on dose-adjusted rituximab, etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin (DA-REPOCH) chemotherapy regimen. She completed six cycles of DA-REPOCH and intrathecal methotrexate with no evidence of disease on repeat imaging (Figure ). She continues to follow up with oncology clinic for observation and is in complete remission at one year.