CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Endosc Int Open 2022; 10(10): E1380-E1385
DOI: 10.1055/a-1922-4536
Original article

EUS-guided radiofrequency ablation of pancreatic/peripancreatic tumors and oligometastatic disease: an observational prospective multicenter study

Mariana Figueiredo Ferreira
1   Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatopancreatology and Digestive Oncology, Erasme University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
2   Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatopancreatology and Digestive Oncology, Saint-Pierre University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
,
Rodrigo Garces-Duran
3   Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatopancreatology and Digestive Oncology, Cliniques Universitaires St. Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium
,
Pierre Eisendrath
2   Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatopancreatology and Digestive Oncology, Saint-Pierre University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
,
Jacques Devière
1   Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatopancreatology and Digestive Oncology, Erasme University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
,
Pierre Deprez
3   Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatopancreatology and Digestive Oncology, Cliniques Universitaires St. Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium
,
Laurent Monino
3   Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatopancreatology and Digestive Oncology, Cliniques Universitaires St. Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium
,
Jean-Luc Van Laethem
1   Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatopancreatology and Digestive Oncology, Erasme University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
,
Ivan Borbath
3   Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatopancreatology and Digestive Oncology, Cliniques Universitaires St. Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium
› Author Affiliations
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Abstract

Background and study aims Endoscopic ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (EUS-RFA) is an emerging and minimally invasive technique that seems promising for treatment of focal pancreatic and peripancreatic lesions. Our aim was to prospectively evaluate the feasibility, safety, and technical and clinical success of pancreatic and extra-pancreatic EUS-RFA.

Patients and methods We prospectively collected clinical and technical data for all patients who underwent EUS-RFA at two Belgian academic centers from June 2018 to February 2022. Feasibility, adverse events (AEs), and follow-up were also assessed.

Results Twenty-nine patients were included, accounting for 35 lesions: 10 non-functioning neuroendocrine tumors (29 %), 13 pancreatic insulinomas (37 %), one adenocarcinoma (3 %), and 11 intra-pancreatic and extra-pancreatic metastatic lesions (31 %). Technical success was achieved in 100 % of cases, with a median of three power applications per lesion (interquartile range 2). The majority of patients (59 %) presented no collateral effects, three (10.3 %) developed non-severe acute pancreatitis, and four (14 %) had mild abdominal pain. At 6 months follow-up (n = 25), 36 % of patients showed radiological complete response, 16 % presented a significant partial response and 48 % showed < 50 % decrease in diameter. At 12 months (n = 20), 30 % showed complete necrosis and 15 % > 50 % decrease in diameter. Hypoglycemia related to insulinoma was immediately corrected in all 13 cases, with no recurrence during follow-up.

Conclusions EUS-RFA is feasible, safe, and effective for treatment of pancreatic and peripancreatic tumors. Larger and longer multicenter prospective studies are warranted to establish its role in management of focal pancreatic lesions and oligometastatic disease. Symptomatic insulinoma currently represent the best indication.



Publication History

Received: 02 May 2022

Accepted after revision: 09 August 2022

Accepted Manuscript online:
10 August 2022

Article published online:
17 October 2022

© 2022. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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