Palliation of malignant ascites

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Palliative Care

Background:

• Malignant ascites (MA) is a serious complication associated with poor prognosis.
• MA significantly diminishes patient quality of life (QOL) due to symptoms like abdominal distention, pain, and dyspnea.
• Standard treatments like diuretics are often ineffective for MA.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current management strategies for malignant ascites.
• To evaluate interventions aimed at improving symptom control and quality of life in patients with MA.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on malignant ascites management.
• Analysis of various therapeutic options including paracentesis, indwelling catheters, peritoneal ports, peritoneovenous shunts, intraperitoneal (i.p.) catumaxomab, and hyperthermic i.p. chemotherapy.

Main Results:

• Paracentesis provides temporary symptom relief but necessitates frequent repetitions.
• Interventions such as indwelling catheters, peritoneal ports, peritoneovenous shunts, i.p. catumaxomab, and hyperthermic i.p. chemotherapy offer more durable symptom management.
• These advanced interventions may improve QOL without necessarily extending overall survival.

Conclusions:

• Effective management of malignant ascites focuses on symptom palliation and quality of life improvement.
• A range of interventions exist for durable symptom control, though survival benefits are not guaranteed.
• Individualized treatment selection is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes in MA.