Cancer associated haemolytic uraemic syndrome developing prior to treatment with cytotoxic agents

The haemolytic uraemic syndrome has been reported in children and adults with neoplasias treated with mitomycin C and occasionally in adults prior to chemotherapeutic treatment, but it has not been reported in a child prior to the use of cytotoxic drugs. This case report concerns the development of the haemolytic uraemic syndrome in a 7-year-old male child with a metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma. The child had persisting haemolysis and renal impairment, and died three weeks after presentation. Though our experience with similar tumours suggested the outlook would be poor, we had hoped to provide palliative chemotherapy. This proved impossible as optimal chemotherapy could not be used because of the renal impairment.