Efficacy and safety of endoscopic ultrasonography-guided radiofrequency ablation of small pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms: A prospective, pilot study

Objectives: Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-guided radiofrequency ablation has recently been introduced as one of the management strategies for small pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PNENs). However, prospective data on its safety and efficacy remain limited.
Methods: This prospective pilot study was conducted at Okayama University Hospital from May 2023 to December 2024. Patients with grade 1 PNENs <= 15 mm, confirmed by EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration, were included. The primary endpoint was safety (adverse events [AEs] evaluated according to the 2010 guidelines of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Severe AEs were defined as moderate or higher in American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy grading and grade >= 3. Secondary endpoints included efficacy (complete response on contrast-enhanced computed tomography at 1 and 6 months), treatment details, device failure, diabetes mellitus exacerbation, and overall survival at 6 months.
Results: Five patients with non-functional PNENs (median age: 64 years; median tumor size: 10 mm) were treated. AEs occurred in two patients (40%, 2/5), although none was severe. Both patients developed asymptomatic pseudocysts, one experienced mild pancreatitis, and both resolved with conservative treatment. The complete response rates on contrast-enhanced computed tomography at one and 6 months were 100%. The median procedure time was 16 min without any device failure, and the median hospitalization was 5 days. None of the patients developed new-onset or worsening diabetes mellitus. The 6-month overall survival rate was 100%.
Conclusion: EUS-guided radiofrequency ablation demonstrated a high complete response rate with no severe AEs in this pilot study, suggesting a minimally invasive option for small, low-grade PNENs (jRCTs062230014).