How does the presence of ascites affect your treatment planning for SBRT for HCC?
Given multidisciplinary discussion has occurred and SBRT has been agreed upon as local therapy, how do you approach the presence of moderate/significant ascites in regards to dose/fractionation and other planning considerations.
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Academic Institution
This is not an unusual situation in clinical practice, as it is common for HCC patients to have both benign and malignant liver disease. It is important to weigh the risks of aggressive SBRT in the setting of malignant ascites. In my practice, I find it is rarely the appropriate option. However, if ...