Eradication of intractable malignant ascites by abdominocentesis, reinfusion of concentrated ascites, and adoptive immunotherapy with dendritic cells and activated killer cells in a patient with recurrent lung cancer: a case report
2008

Treatment of Malignant Ascites in Lung Cancer

Sample size: 1 publication Evidence: low

Author Information

Author(s): Kimura Hideki, Iizasa Toshihiko, Ishikawa Aki, Yoshino Mitsuru, Shingyouji Masato, Kimura Masaki, Hirata Tetushi, Odaka Akiko, Matsubayasi Keiko

Primary Institution: Chiba Cancer Center, Chiba, Japan

Hypothesis

Can a combination of abdominocentesis, reinfusion of concentrated ascites, and immunotherapy effectively treat malignant ascites in lung cancer patients?

Conclusion

The combination of local administration of immune cells and infusion of concentrated cell-free ascites may be effective for patients with refractory ascites.

Supporting Evidence

  • The patient had a drastic decrease in tumor cell count after treatment.
  • The plasma protein level was maintained during the treatment despite repeated drainage.
  • Cytological examination showed a shift from carcinoma cells to lymphocytes after treatment.

Takeaway

Doctors treated a woman with severe fluid buildup from cancer by draining the fluid, cleaning it, and giving her special immune cells to help fight the cancer.

Methodology

The patient underwent abdominocentesis, reinfusion of concentrated ascites, and intraperitoneal immunotherapy with dendritic cells and activated killer cells.

Limitations

The treatment may be difficult to apply to other patients due to the rarity of abdominal recurrence as malignant ascites.

Participant Demographics

A 55-year-old woman with recurrent lung cancer.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1752-1947-2-372

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