Hyperuricemia

Uric acid is a chemical substance released into the blood from dying cells. Rapid destruction of cancer cells can result in the release of cellular breakdown products such is uric acid. Death of cancer cells can be natural or secondary to chemotherapy. Alternatively, chemotherapy can induce severe Hyperuricemia in patients whose cancers are very sensitive to treatment, e.g., Leukemias, Lymphomas.

Signs and symptoms

High levels of uric acid in the blood may cause any of the following complications:

• Damage to the kidneys

• Joint pain and inflammation, gout

• This complication may be associated with Tumor Lysis Syndrome.

Treatment:

Patients should be treated with intravenous fluids, medicines that increase the urine flow, i.e., Lasix, as well as medicine that will increase excretion of uric acid from urine, i.e., Zyloprim. In patients who are to receive chemotherapy for acute leukemias and lymphomas, the patient should be made aware of this complication, and it should be prevented.