title: Prognostic Significance of a Minute Amount of Ascites During Chemoradiotherapy for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical factors for predicting overall survival (OS) and the significance of a minute amount of ascites on computed tomography (CT) in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) treated with chemoradiotherapy (CRT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2003 and 2011, 48 consecutive patients with LAPC were treated with CRT. Various clinical factors, including ascites, were evaluated for correlation with OS. A subset analysis of 16 patients with a minute amount of ascites was also performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median survival duration and the 1-year OS rates were 11.5 months and 50%, respectively. A minute amount of ascites on CT and elevated carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) level were significantly associated with poorer OS. In 16 patients with ascites, the amount of ascites increased in the course of the disease, and these were considered to be cancerous clinically, regardless of the amount.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A minute amount of ascites and CA19-9 were important prognostic factors in CRT. Any amount of ascites was considered an early indicator of peritoneal carcinomatosis in LAPC.
authors.affiliation: Ion Beam Therapy Center, SAGA HIMAT Foundation, Tosu, Japan Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan shinoto@saga-himat.jp.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shinoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Ion Beam Therapy Center, SAGA HIMAT Foundation, Tosu, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shioyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomonari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nishie
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Asayama
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Saiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohga
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Tadamasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshitake
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Kotaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Terashima
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asai
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Honda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001201:Ascites; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005047:Etoposide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010094:Oxonic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D005641:Tegafur / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen; D004338:Drug Combinations; D003841:Deoxycytidine; C079198:S 1 (combination); D005641:Tegafur; D010094:Oxonic Acid; D005047:Etoposide; D002945:Cisplatin; D000093542:Gemcitabine
keywords: Locally advanced pancreatic cancer; ascites; peritoneal carcinomatosis; prognostic factor; radiation therapy