Renal failure due to lymphomatous infiltration of the kidneys. Report of three new cases and review of the literature.

Three new cases of renal failure due to lymphomatous infiltration of the kidneys are described and the clinical features of 14 similar patients in the literature are reviewed. The diagnosis of renal failure secondary to lymphomatous infiltration was made by ruling out other causes of renal failure and demonstrating prompt improvement in renal function after systemic chemotherapy or local irradiation of one or both kidneys. Histiocytic lymphoma was the most common underlying disease. In the setting of diffuse lymphoma with other causes of renal failure reasonably excluded, radiographic demonstration of enlarged kidneys without obstruction suggests the need for intensive combination chemotherapy in most cases.