Acute spontaneous tumor lysis in anaplastic large T-cell lymphoma presenting with hyperuricemic acute renal failure

Acute spontaneous tumor lysis (ASTL) syndrome, an extremely rare disease, requires prompt recognition and aggressive management because it is fulminant at its outset, associated with severe metabolic derangement, and potentially reversible. We describe an unusual case in which spontaneous tumor lysis occurred in anaplastic large T-cell lymphoma associated with acute uric acid nephropathy, persistent oliguria, and shock. This case contrasts markedly with previously reported cases of ASTL syndrome, which developed mainly in the pathologic type of Burkitt lymphoma. To our knowledge, this is the first reported occurrence of ASTL syndrome associated with anaplastic large T-cell type lymphoma. This report also chronicles our successful experience with continuous renal replacement therapy in the presence of compromised hemodynamic status.