Acute tumor lysis syndrome in a patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia in blast crisis: role of high-dose Ara-C.

A patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in lymphoid blast crisis developed acute tumor lysis syndrome following administration of high-dose busulfan, cyclophosphamide and cytarabine (Ara-C) in preparation for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Preconditioning cytoreduction, close monitoring and rapid institution of therapeutic measures were required to avoid renal failure and a fatal outcome. Acute tumor lysis syndrome has not been reported in marrow transplant patients receiving conventional preparative regimens as treatment for CML in blast crisis, and it is likely that its occurrence in this patient was precipitated by high-dose Ara-C.