National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre (NBOCC)

A distended or swollen abdomen (tummy) might be caused by:

• ascites (a build-up of fluid in the abdomen)
• obstruction of the bowel from cancer
• constipation
• the spread of the cancer into the liver
• inflammation of the bowel due to chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

A doctor can advise about how this may be slowed or how the fluid can be removed.