Hemolytic uremic syndrome in metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate

Abstract

The authors report 4 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in association with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate. All patients were treated with hemodialysis with or without plasma exchange. All made a good recovery. In one patient the diagnosis of prostatic adenocarcinoma was first made after presentation with HUS. The authors suggest that this condition may be more common than previously thought and, that in view of its good prognosis, may be a separate entity to chemotherapy-associated HUS in patients with cancer. It also is recommended that adult male patients presenting with unexplained HUS should have clinical assessment of their prostate and measurement of prostate specific antigen.