Tumor lysis syndrome in a nonsmall cell lung cancer

Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is an oncologic emergency caused by intense tumor cell destruction resulting in profound electrolyte abnormalities. It is generally recognized as a consequence of cytotoxic therapy in particularly chemotherapysensitive tumors such as hematologic cancers. Despite having been primarily recognized in hematologic malignancies, TLS has been reported in solid tumors as well. We present a case of a 72-year-old female who developed TLS after receiving etoposide and carboplatin for a poorly-differentiated carcinoma with areas of small-cell differentiation metastatic to her liver. She had previously undergone a thoracotomy and resection for a poorly differentiated squamous cell cancer of the lung.