What is the cause of ascites in pancreatic cancer

In the early stage of pancreatic cancer, various symptoms are not obvious. In the middle and late stages, jaundice, abdominal pain, weight loss and other symptoms appear. The cause of pancreatic cancer is unknown. Male patients are much more common than premenopausal women, and the incidence rate of postmenopausal women is similar to that of men. Therefore, some people have proposed that endocrine factors may be related to the onset of the disease. So what is the cause of ascites in pancreatic cancer? Let's take a closer look.

Ascites is also quite common. Under normal conditions, there is a small amount of fluid in the abdominal cavity (usually less than 200 ml), which lubricates the peristalsis of the intestine. When the amount of fluid in the abdominal cavity increases to more than 200 ml under any pathological condition, it is called ascites. According to its shape and characteristics, it is usually divided into two categories: leaking and exudative ascites. Pancreatic cancer ascites belongs to exudative ascites.

Clinically, pancreatic cancer ascites may present as low-grade fever, night sweats, poor appetite, weight loss, abdominal pain, diarrhea, etc. A few may have high fever. The stomach wall feels flexible if touched. A few may have abdominal masses, tenderness, and repeated heart palpitations.

The cause of pancreatic cancer is unknown. Male patients are much more common than premenopausal women, and the incidence rate of postmenopausal women is similar to that of men, so some people have suggested that endocrine factors may be related to the onset of the disease. The incidence rate is higher in people who eat a diet high in animal fat and protein, and is higher in people who have a habit of smoking or drinking coffee than those who do not have such a habit. The incidence rate of pancreatic cancer in patients with juvenile diabetes is twice that of non-diabetics. Pancreatic cancer often coexists with chronic pancreatitis, but it has not been proven that chronic pancreatitis is a cause of pancreatic cancer.

From the brief introduction above, we understand the cause of ascites in pancreatic cancer, so patients must receive timely treatment.