Endoscopic ultrasound guided radiofrequency ablation for pancreatic tumors: A critical review focusing on safety, efficacy and controversies

Table 2 Studies reporting endoscopic ultrasound-radiofrequency ablation for pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Ref.	Study type	Patients/RFA session, n	Tumor location (n)	Cancer stage (n)	Mean size (range) in mm	Any decrease in tumor size, n (%)	Technical success, n (%)	Adverse events, n (%)	Mean follow-up in mo	Survival after RFA in mo
Arcidiacono et al[16]	Prospective	22/22	Head (16), uncinate (2), body (4)	Locally advanced (22)	35.7 (23-54)	6 (37.5)	16 (72.7)	8 (36.4)1	3	5.6 (1-12)
Song et al[32]	Prospective	6/8	Head (4), body (2)	Locally advanced (4), metastasis (2)	48 (30-90)	NR	6 (100)	2 (25)2	4.2	NR
Scopelliti et al[17]	Prospective	10/10	Head (4), body (6)	Locally advanced (10)	49.2 (25-75)	10 (100)	10 (100)	4 (40)3	1	NR
Crinò et al[18]	Retrospective	7/7	Head (2), body (3), uncinate (2)	Locally advanced (7)	36 (22-67)	7 (100)	7 (100)	3 (42.8)4	6.1	NR
Paiella et al[19]	Retrospective	30/30	Head (23), body and tail (7)	Locally advanced (30)	35 (20-60)	NR	30 (100)	1 (3.3)5	15	15
Bang et al[20]	Prospective	12/12	Head and uncinate (8), body and tail (4)	Locally advanced (5), metastasis (7)	29.6 (22.5-35.0)	NR	12 (100)	5 (41.6)6	1	NR
Wang et al[33]	Retrospective	11/26	Head (4), neck (3), body (3), tail (1)	Locally advanced (7), metastasis (4)	28 (17.2-38)	2 (18.2)	11 (100)	2 (7.7)7	5.2	5.2
Oh et al[34]	Prospective	22/107	Head (14), body (4), tail (3), metastasis (1)	Locally advanced (14), metastatic (8)	38 (32.8-45.0)	NR	22 (100)	4 (3.7)8	21.2	24
Pooled data	Prospective: 5. Retrospective: 3	120/222	Head and uncinate (79). Body and tail (37), neck (3)	Locally advanced (100), metastasis (21)	37.4	Unable to pool due to data lacking	114 (95)	29 (13)	7.1	Unable to pool due to data lacking

¹Transient abdominal pain (3 patients, mild), minor duodenal bleeding endoscopically treated (1 patient, moderate), transient amylase elevation (3 patients, mild), transient cystic fluid collection between pancreas and left hepatic lobe (1 patient, mild).

²Transient abdominal pain (2 patients, mild).

³Mild pancreatitis (4 patients, mild).

⁴Transient abdominal pain (3 patients, mild).

⁵Duodenal bleeding (1 patient, moderate).

⁶Nausea and vomiting (4 patients, mild), transient abdominal pain (1 patient, mild).

⁷Transient abdominal pain (2 patients, mild).

⁸Transient abdominal pain (3 patients, mild), peritonitis (1 patient, moderate).

NR: Not reported; RFA: Radiofrequency ablation.