Acute tumor lysis syndrome: Considerations of cause and prevention

The need for better chemotherapeutic interventional modalities with adjunctive biotherapy and/or immunotherapy to confront oncologic disease processes will continue into the new millennium. Unfortunately, existing problems encountered as a consequence to chemotherapy centering on acute tumor lysis syndrome (ATLS) will also continue. ATLS results when cytotoxic agents lyse, or lacerate, outer plasma membranes of numerous cancerous cells. Eventually, their contents spill into the bloodstream, indirectly causing kidney damage. This article reviews the induction of ATLS caused by cytotoxic agents and its prevention and/or control. The association of ATLS with the administration of chemotherapeutic agents must be considered when treating various types of cancer. (C) 1999 Prous Science. All rights reserved.