Chylous Ascites Associated with Advanced Pancreatic Cancer That Improved with Appropriate Treatment: A Case Report

TL;DR

A rare case of chylous ascites in a patient with advanced pancreatic cancer improved with octreotide treatment, allowing continued chemotherapy.

Contribution

The case highlights the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of chylous ascites in advanced cancer patients.

Findings

Chylous ascites was diagnosed through biochemical tests in a patient with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Treatment with octreotide improved the ascites and allowed continuation of chemotherapy.

Early recognition of chylous ascites can improve patient outcomes in advanced cancer cases.

Abstract

Chylous ascites is a rare form of ascites with high triglyceride content arising from the thoracoabdominal lymph nodes in the peritoneal cavity due to various benign or malignant etiologies, including pancreatic cancer. During cancer chemotherapy, the accumulation of ascites can lead to the deterioration of the patient’s general condition, making chemotherapy administration difficult, and resulting in a poor prognosis. We encountered a rare case of chylous ascites complicated by advanced pancreatic cancer. The patient presented with a discrepancy between the shrinkage of the pancreatic cancer and the accumulation of ascites. Therefore, we were able to promptly diagnose chylous ascites by performing biochemical tests. The patient was treated with octreotide, reportedly effective in treating chylous ascites, which rapidly improved the chylous ascites and general condition of the patient, allowing the patient to continue chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer. Therefore, physicians should consider the possibility of chylous ascites when clinically unexplained ascites are observed in patients with advanced cancer. The investigation and treatment of chylous ascites should be initiated as soon as possible.

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