Acute tumor lysis syndrome after transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma

A 77-year-old-man was admitted to hospital for treatment of a huge hepatocellular carcinoma by transarterial chemoembolization. After treatment, the patient developed acute tumor lysis syndrome with hyperkalemia, hyperuricemia, hyperphosphatemia, hypocalcemia, metabolic acidosis and acute renal failure, which was successfully treated. In the treatments of solid organ tumors, acute tumor lysis syndrome is an extremely rare complication. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this patient is the third case of such a complication after transarterial chemoembolization for a hepatocellular carcinoma in the English literature. (Cancer Sci 2008; 99: 2104-2105)