Dictionary of Cancer Terms
View in Spanish: Síndrome de lisis tumoral
Tumor lysis syndrome (TOO-mer LY-sis SIN-drome)
A condition that can occur after treatment of a fast-growing cancer, especially certain leukemias and lymphomas (cancers of the blood). As tumor cells die, they break apart and release their contents into the blood. This causes a change in certain chemicals in the blood, which may cause damage to organs, including the kidneys, heart, and liver.
Source: National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms, available at www.cancer.gov/dictionary.