Han Margaret Y, Borazanci Erkut H
Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States.
Department of Oncology, HonorHealth Research Institute, Scottsdale, AZ, United States.
Front Oncol. 2023 Mar 16;13:1138759. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1138759. eCollection 2023.
Malignant ascites is the accumulation of fluid in the peritoneum as a result of advanced cancer and often signifies the terminal phase of the disease. Management of malignant ascites remains a clinical challenge as symptom palliation is the current standard of cure. Previously, studies examining malignant ascites largely focused on ovarian and gastric cancer. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in research on malignant ascites in pancreatic cancer. Malignant ascites is usually diagnosed based on positive cytology, but cytology is not always diagnostic, indicating the need for novel diagnostic tools and biomarkers. This review aims to summarize the current understanding of malignant ascites in pancreatic cancer and the recent advances in the molecular characterization of malignant ascites fluid from patients with pancreatic cancer including analysis of soluble molecules and extracellular vesicles. Current standard of care treatment options such as paracenteses and diuretics are outlined along with new emerging treatment strategies such as immunotherapy and small-molecule based therapies. New potential investigative directions resulting from these studies are also highlighted.
恶性腹水是晚期癌症导致的腹腔内液体蓄积，通常预示着疾病的终末期。恶性腹水的管理仍然是一项临床挑战，因为目前的治疗标准是缓解症状。此前，对恶性腹水的研究主要集中在卵巢癌和胃癌。近年来，胰腺癌恶性腹水的研究显著增加。恶性腹水通常根据阳性细胞学诊断，但细胞学诊断并不总是准确的，这表明需要新的诊断工具和生物标志物。本综述旨在总结目前对胰腺癌恶性腹水的认识，以及胰腺癌患者恶性腹水液分子特征的最新进展，包括可溶性分子和细胞外囊泡的分析。文中概述了当前的标准治疗方案，如腹腔穿刺术和利尿剂，以及新兴的治疗策略，如免疫疗法和小分子疗法。这些研究产生的新的潜在研究方向也得到了强调。
