Myeloma-like lesions of the kidney. Occurrence in a case of acinic cell adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.

A 54-year-old man with acinic cell adenocarcinoma of the pancreas died of oliguric renal failure associated with myeloma-like renal lesions. Electron microscopical study of the tumor cells disclosed rich rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum and membrane-bound secretory granules, which indicated active protein synthesis and suggested that abnormal proteins produced by the tumor cells were the underlying cause of the renal lesions. Rapid deterioration of renal function ensued after intravenous pyelography, as is usual in the syndrome of myeloma-like lesions of the kidneys. This case presents further evidence for the occurrence of "myeloma kidney" in association with tumors other than plasma cell myeloma.