SynthesisSurgical endoscopy2025
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma: meta-analysis & systematic review.
Synthesis in Surgical endoscopy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Methodology Assessment of Endoscopic Ultrasound Radiofrequency Ablation (EUS-RFA) for Pancreatic Neoplasms: Results From an International Survey.Digestive endoscopy : official journal of the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society · 2026Article
- Focused Ultrasound in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Mechanisms, Preclinical Evidence, and Emerging Clinical Applications.Cancers · 2026Review
- Safety and efficacy of cryoablation in treating locally advanced pancreatic cancer.World journal of gastrointestinal oncology · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
17 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPancreatic adenocarcinoma remains a challenging malignancy with a poor prognosis. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has emerged as a potential treatment for unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma (UPAC) aimed at improving survival and quality of life. This meta-analysis and systematic review evaluates the outcomes of RFA in UPAC.
methodsA comprehensive search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Central databases from inception to October 2023. Studies included patients over 18 years with UAPC undergoing RFA. Survival rates and complication rates were assessed as primary outcomes. Data were pooled using random-effects models, and heterogeneity was assessed with I
resultsNine studies encompassing 265 patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 64.5 years, with 42.5% female participants. Survival analysis showed that at 30 days post-RFA, the mortality rate was 3.3%. At 6 months, the mortality rate was 20.9%, increasing to 50.4% at 12 months. At 24 months, the mortality rate was 61.9%. The pooled mean survival period at 12 and 24 months was 9.18 months and 14.26 months, respectively. Overall, 78.4% of patients died during the follow-up period, with an overall mean survival period of 12.27 months. The most common were intra-abdominal (10.1%), pancreatic (9.8%), and hepatobiliary (6.7%) complications.
conclusionsRFA shows potential in the management of unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma, with a manageable safety profile. However, the high heterogeneity and risk of bias in available studies highlight the need for well-designed randomized controlled trials to confirm these findings and establish standardized protocols.
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