ABSTRACT
In a patient with cancer, the accumulation of ascitic fluid within the peritoneal cavity usually indicates an advanced stage of disease. Thus, with few exceptions, life expectancy is short and any intervention should palliate symptoms with the smallest possible burden for the patient. This chapter discusses the diagnosis of ascites and advises how to select the best management for the individual patient.
Malignant ascites is responsible for about 10 per cent of all cases of ascites.1 Other common causes include:
