Malignant ascites occurs in 15–60% of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer and
is associated with a poor prognosis. The average time from diagnosis of pancreatic
cancer to ascites presentation is 11 months, and the survival time after ascites development
is only 1.8 months. Current therapies for malignant ascites including drainage, intraperitoneal
administration of chemotherapeutic agents or biological modifier picibanil and systemic
chemotherapy may alleviate symptoms; however, the efficacy is usually temporary [
[1]
]. Previous studies have indicated that the peritoneum can be considered as a lymphoid
organ [
[2]
]. Theoretically, intraperitoneal immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors
has the potential to enhance the immune response against tumour cells. Here, we present
a patient with metastatic pancreatic cancer with refractory malignant ascites that
responded well to intraperitoneal administration of nivolumab.To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 15, 2021
Accepted:
January 29,
2021
Received:
January 22,
2021
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
