Cancer Symptoms Understanding the Basics of Ascites By Lisa Fayed Lisa Fayed Lisa Fayed is a freelance medical writer, cancer educator and patient advocate. Learn about our editorial process Updated on January 27, 2020 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Doru Paul, MD Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD Doru Paul, MD, is triple board-certified in medical oncology, hematology, and internal medicine. He is an associate professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and attending physician in the Department of Hematology and Oncology at the New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Ascites, pronounced ah-sy-tees, is the medical term describing the abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdomen. While ascites is most commonly caused by cirrhosis, cancer may also be a cause of ascites. Learn what ascites feels like, how it's diagnosed, and how doctors treat it. Kondoros Eva Katalin / Getty Images Medical Causes There are benign or noncancerous conditions that can cause ascites with liver failure, or cirrhosis, being the most common one. Other examples of noncancerous causes include heart failure, infection, and pancreatitis. In about 10% of cases, ascites is caused by cancer. Types of cancer that cause ascites include ovarian, colon, pancreatic, and uterine cancer. Lymphoma, lung cancer, and breast cancer may also spread to the abdomen, causing ascites. In order to differentiate between benign versus malignant or cancerous ascites, a doctor will perform a procedure called a paracentesis. In this procedure, a needle is inserted into the abdomen and a small fluid sample is removed. The fluid sample is then examined under a microscope. Certain characteristics of the fluid, like the presence of cancer cells, can help determine the cause of the ascites. What Ascites Feels Like While mild ascites may cause no symptoms, more advanced ascites can become uncomfortable, creating a bloated appearance to the abdomen. Common symptoms of more advanced ascites include: Abdominal pain Shortness of breath because the pressure of the fluid compresses the diaphragm Nausea Vomiting Loss of appetite Treatment The treatment of ascites depends on the severity of the ascites and is geared towards alleviating a person's symptoms and making them more comfortable. Therapies include salt-restricted diets, diuretics, and a therapeutic paracentesis, in which a large volume of fluid is removed from the abdomen. It's not uncommon for a person with ascites to need regular paracentesis to remove the fluid. The good news is that the procedure is relatively low risk and effective. That being said, if a person's ascites cannot be controlled well with these traditional therapies, a shunt may be placed surgically—although this procedure is higher risk and not commonly done. In the case of malignant ascites, a person's doctor may consider cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy that is administered directly into the abdomen—called direct intraperitoneal chemotherapy. This is only considered for certain patients and requires a careful discussion with a person's doctors to weigh the potential risks and benefits. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Limiting processed foods and red meats can help ward off cancer risk. These recipes focus on antioxidant-rich foods to better protect you and your loved ones. Sign up and get your guide! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 3 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Sangisetty SL, Miner TJ. Malignant ascites: a review of prognostic factors, pathophysiology and therapeutic measures. World J Gastrointest Surg. 2012;4(4):87–95. doi:10.4240/wjgs.v4.i4.87 Moore CM, Van Thiel DH. Cirrhotic ascites review: pathophysiology, diagnosis and management. World J Hepatol. 2013;5(5):251–263. doi:10.4254/wjh.v5.i5.251 Pedersen JS, Bendtsen F, Møller S. Management of cirrhotic ascites. Ther Adv Chronic Dis. 2015;6(3):124–137. doi:10.1177/2040622315580069 Additional Reading Runyon BA. Care of patients with ascites. N Eng J Med. 1994 Feb 3;330(5):337-42. Sangisetty SL & Miner TJ. Malignant ascites: A review of prognostic factors, pathophysiology and therapeutic measures. World J Gastrointes Surg. 2012 Apr 27;4(4):87-95.