Reactions 470 - 25 Sep 1993

★ SAntineoplastics

First report of tumour lysis syndrome in a patientwith ovarian cancer: case report

Tumour lysis syndrome (TLS) developed in a 47-year-oldwoman 4 days after she received carboplatin 400 mg/m2 andcyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2 for the treatment of advancedadenocarcinoma of the ovary. She had previously respondedto 4 cycles of antineoplastic therapy with cyclophosphamide,carboplatin and doxorubicin after mastectomy for breastcancer. Ovarian cancer was first observed 2 months after thepatient began tamoxifen therapy for a malignant pleuraleffusion.

The patient’s levels of serum lactate dehydrogenase, uricacid, phosphate and creatinine increased, and serum calciumlevels decreased. Treatment with a combination of IV fluids,parenteral bicarbonate, furosemide and allopurinol correctedmost of these metabolic abnormalities within 48 hours.However, the woman died 3 weeks later because of rapidtumour growth.

Author comment: ‘We report the first patient to develop TLSfollowing combination chemotherapy for ovarian cancer.Patients at risk for developing TLS include those with a largetumor burden . . . These patients should be monitored for thedevelopment of metabolic abnormalities after therapy’.Bilgrami SFA, et al. Tumor lysis syndrome after combination chemotherapy forovarian cancer. Medical and Pediatric Oncology 21: 521-524, No. 7, 1993 -USA 800221079

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Reactions 25 Sep 1993 No. 4700114-9954/10/0470-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved