[Tumor lysis syndrome. A life-threatening complication during cytostatic treatment of chemosensitive types of cancer].

Tumour lysis syndrome is characterized by hyperkalemia, hypermagnesemia, hyperphosphatemia, hyperuricemia and elevated levels of serum creatinine and urea, indicating renal dysfunction due to rapid lysis of a large number of tumour cells. Hypocalcemia is often found as well. Tumour lysis syndrome is most likely to occur after chemotherapy of cancers that are highly responsive to chemotherapeutic drugs, such as malignant lymphomas and acute leukemias, when there is a large burden of tumours. Another risk factor is impaired renal function before treatment. Tumour lysis syndrome is potentially life-threatening. During the first course of chemotherapy in particular, the patient should receive prophylactic treatment, and laboratory tests should be performed daily in order to avoid this serious complication.