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Case-based MCQ | #Case_417 | #answer
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E
Ascites is the pathological accumulation of fluid within the abdominal cavity. Healthy
men have
little or no intraperitoneal fluid, but
women may normally have as much as
20 mL, depending on the phase of their menstrual cycle.
Shifting dullness is usually found on physical examination when the fluid
exceeds 500 mL. In patients with smaller amounts of fluid, the
puddle sign may suggest ascites. This sign is elicited as the examiner flicks near the flank while using stethoscope to auscultate for
increased sound transmission.
Liver disease is the
most common cause of ascites and accounts for more than
80% of ascites cases. This usually results from
portal hypertension. The second most common cause of ascites is
peritoneal carcinomatosis, which is ascites caused by various types of malignancies. An
SAAG < 1.1 excludes portal hypertension as the cause of ascites in this patient; this means that congestive heart failure, liver disease, and hepatic metastases are unlikely to be the cause. On the other hand, this SAAG value may be found in
peritoneal carcinomatosis, peritoneal tuberculosis, and pancreatitis. The findings of
neoplastic cells suggest peritoneal
carcinomatosis. The prognosis of peritoneal carcinomatosis is estimated to be
20-24 weeks.
Palliative care to improve quality of life is considered to be the main management option.
Common causes of peritoneal carcinomatosis include
breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer, and other gastrointestinal cancers. In Canada, in female patients,
breast cancer is the most common cancer and is likely to be the cause of this patient's peritoneal carcinomatosis. It is not uncommon for this condition to present months or even years after mastectomy.
Axillary or supraclavicular lymph node enlargement (choice E) is commonly found in patients with breast cancer. It is important to emphasize that in Canada, breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer in women while
prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men.
GI cancer is the second most common in both men and women and
lung cancer takes the third place in both men and women.
⚠ Adnexal masses (choice A) would be suggestive of ovarian cancer. While this cancer should be kept in the differential diagnosis and patients with BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes mutations are at increased risk for both breast cancer and ovarian cancer; ovarian cancer is less common than breast cancer in this particulat patient. This patient already has a history of breast cancer and it should be high on the differential diagnosis. Furthermore, ascites typically develops in the setting of recurrent and/or advanced cancer.
⚠ Hepatomegaly (choice B) that accompanies ascites can be found in patients with liver cancer or in patients with lymphomas. Liver cancer is associated with SAAG > 1.1. Lymphomas are rare causes of peritoneal carcinomatosis and are less likely to be the cause of this patient's condition.
⚠ Rectal bleeding (choice C) would be suggestive of a GI malignancy. While this should be considered on the differential, it is less common than breast cancer in Canadian women; moreover, this patient has already been diagnosed and treated for breast cancer. Therefore, metastasis is more likely to be the cause of this patient's presentation.
⚠ Spider angioma (choice D) is usually seen in cirrhosis, which would be associated with SAAG > 1.1. This patient's SAAG is < 1.1, which excludes cirrhosis or portal hypertension as the cause of the ascites.
🔖 Key point:
Ascites is the pathological accumulation of fluid within the abdominal cavity. Ascites associated with portal hypertension is the most common and its analysis reveals an SAAG > 1.1. Ascites associated with peritoneal carcinomatosis is the second most common cause of ascites and SAAG < 1.1. In a patient with breast cancer history, this cancer should be suspected as the cause of peritoneal carcinomatosis.