Background: Malignant ascites is a major problem in the management of advanced stages of certain malignancies. The possibility of reducing the accumulation of ascites by intraperitoneal injections of a Viscum album extract (Iscador M) was evaluated.

Patients and methods: Twenty-three patients, with end-stage malignancies of varying histology, requiring repeated peritoneal punctures, were eligible for analysis. The time-interval between the first two punctures was measured and defined as the baseline. Following each subsequent puncture, Iscador M 10 mg was injected intraperitoneally. The intervals between later punctures were compared to previous intervals.

Results: Following the first injection, the median time-interval between injections increased from 7 to 12 days, reaching 13 days after the second injection. No toxicity was observed.

Conclusion: This phase II study suggests that installation of Iscador M into the peritoneal cavity may reduce the need for repeated punctures. A randomized trial is needed to confirm these promising preliminary results.