Acute tumor lysis syndrome with metastatic medulloblastoma. A case report

The acute tumor lysis syndrome occurs rarely in nonhematologic malignancies. This patient, a 34-year-old woman with metastatic medulloblastoma, was receiving palliative radiotherapy for a rapidly expanding abdominopelvic mass. After a total of 300 rad, the patient developed the biochemical hallmarks of the acute tumor lysis syndrome, hyperuricemia, hyperkalemia, hyperphosphatemia, and hypocalcemia. This was complicated by oliguria from hyperuricemic acute renal failure. The patient responded well to hydration, alkaline diuresis, phosphate and potassium binders, and allopurinol. The potential for acute tumor lysis syndrome should be anticipated when treating metastatic medulloblastoma.