MULTIFACTORIAL ANALYSIS OF MALIGNANT ASCITES: ETIOLOGICAL FACTORS AND PROGNOSTIC DETERMINANTS IN A LARGE HOSPITAL COHORT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22551/Abstract
Carcinomatous ascites is a manifestation of advanced-stage disease that can arise from various malignancies, most commonly digestive cancers. This study analyzes the impact of ascites development on disease progression, survival outcomes and several prognostic factors. Materials and methods: This is an observational and retrospective study of 1,470 patients diagnosed with ascites, irrespective of etiology, admitted to the Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine Clinic of Sf. Ioan Clinical and Emergency Hospital Bucharest, a Romanian Tertiary Hospital, during 2015-2023. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive statistical analysis of patient characteristics and etiological factors associated with ascites, focusing on malignant ascites. Results: Malignant ascites was identified in approximately 10% of patients with ascites and was significantly more frequent in association with digestive malignancies compared with extradigestive tumors. Tumors of digestive origin-particularly hepatic cancers-was markedly more often associated with ascites, while extradigestive neoplasms showed a substantially lower incidence. The presence of ascites was strongly associated with malignancy, patients with ascites having a significantly higher prevalence of cancer compared with those without ascites. Conclusions: The findings regarding patients with malignant ascites were contextualized considering local patterns of disease etiology, which may influence prognosis and clinical outcomes.
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