Clinical trial NCT06426563: MWA vs RFA for the Treatment of Moderate-sized Benign Thyroid Nodules
Official title: Microwave Ablation Versus Radiofrequency Ablation for the Treatment of Moderate-sized Benign Thyroid Nodules, a Randomized Controlled Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Thyroid Nodule \(Benign\)
Ablation Therapy
Keywords: Ablation therapy
Thyroid nodule
benign
RFA
MWA
Lead sponsor: The University of Hong Kong
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2024-05-23
Enrollment: 150
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: One group is for radiofrequency ablation treatment (RFA), another group is for microwave ablation treatment (MWA)
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: Thyroid nodule is a common condition that affects up to 60% of the population. There is an estimated 10% lifetime probability of developing a thyroid nodule. Although most thyroid nodules are benign, up to 10-15% can enlarge to cause compressive symptoms including neck pressure and discomfort, dysphagia, dyspnea, and dysphonia. The conventional treatment for these benign but problematic nodules has been thyroidectomy. Although generally a low risk operation, thyroidectomy is associated with some risk for recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, bleeding, infection, and need for thyroid hormone supplementation. Since the early 2000s, ultrasound-guided percutaneous thermal ablation has emerged as a potential alternative treatment to surgery for benign thyroid nodules. Of the myriad ablation methods, the most commonly used techniques are radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and microwave ablation (MWA). \[1-3\] A growing body of evidence shows that RFA is an effective treatment for benign solid thyroid nodules, toxic adenomas, and thyroid cysts resulting in overall volume reduction ranges of 40-80% at 1 year, with durable resolution of compressive and hyperthyroid symptoms. However, RFA is not without its limitations. Radiofrequency waves can be limited by the heat sink effect and tissue char leading to longer procedure times and potentially less optimal outcomes in larger, hypervascular, and/or more cystic nodules.

Microwave ablation (MWA) is another ablative technique that uses electromagnetic energy waves to cause tissue hyperthermia and coagulative necrosis. It generally causes higher ablation temperatures than RFA and is less subject to the heat sink effect, and therefore can facilitate more efficient ablation procedures. Current evidence comparing RFA versus MWA for thyroid ablation was limited and was either retrospective, non-randomized \[4-9\], under-powered, or with an unequal baseline. The results from these studies were also conflicting, suggesting suboptimal quality of evidence and bias due to non-standardized technique of ablation across studies. To date, there is no randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy and safety of RFA versus MWA for the treatment of benign thyroid nodules. Given the higher ablation temperatures, freedom from heat sink effect, and no influence from impedance changes during ablation, MWA may achieve different treatment efficacy.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Adult patients \&gt;/=18 years of age
2. Nodule maximal diameter ≥2cm and nodule volume \&lt;20ml
3. Nodule being predominantly solid (≥80% solid)
4. Confirmed benign nature of nodules, either by : two benign fine needle biopsies, with the most recent biopsy performed within 1 year of enrollment in study or one benign fine needle biopsy and low suspicion characteristics on ultrasound
5. Both functional and non-functional nodules are eligible.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Cytologically indeterminate nodules
2. Nodules with substernal extension or posterior extension that cannot be viewed sufficiently with ultrasound
3. current pregnancy or cardiac arrhythmias; presence of pacemaker or any medical condition that renders patient unfit for thermal ablation

Primary outcomes:
measure: To measure the volume reduction ratio (VRR) of the first ablated nodule at each procedure at 12-months post-procedure
timeFrame: 12 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: To measures nodule recurrence rate
timeFrame: 12-24 months
measure: To measures thyroid nodule regrowth rate
timeFrame: 12-24 months
measure: To measure cosmetic score by investigator (1-4)
timeFrame: 12-24 months
measure: To measure the compressive symptom scores (from 0 - 100)
timeFrame: 12-24 months
measure: To measure swallowing impairment scores by questionnaire (SIS-6)
timeFrame: 12-24 months
measure: To measure pain score (0-10) after ablation treatment
timeFrame: 12-24 months
measure: Change of quality of life by SF12 ver 2
timeFrame: 12-24 months
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Hong Kong
country: Hong Kong
facility: Queen Mary Hospital
Study officials:
References:
citation: Lang BHH, Fung MMH. Safety and Efficacy of Single-Session Radiofrequency Ablation Treatment for Benign Non-toxic Multinodular Goiter. World J Surg. 2022 Jul;46(7):1704-1710. doi: 10.1007/s00268-022-06527-8. Epub 2022 Mar 21.
citation: Cheng Z, Che Y, Yu S, Wang S, Teng D, Xu H, Li J, Sun D, Han Z, Liang P. US-Guided Percutaneous Radiofrequency versus Microwave Ablation for Benign Thyroid Nodules: A Prospective Multicenter Study. Sci Rep. 2017 Aug 25;7(1):9554. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-09930-7.
citation: Wu W, Gong X, Zhou Q, Chen X, Chen X. Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Microwave Ablation for Solid Benign Thyroid Nodules: Comparison of MWA versus Control Group. Int J Endocrinol. 2017;2017:9724090. doi: 10.1155/2017/9724090. Epub 2017 Nov 23.
citation: He L, Zhao W, Xia Z, Su A, Li Z, Zhu J. Comparative efficacy of different ultrasound-guided ablation for the treatment of benign thyroid nodules: Systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. PLoS One. 2021 Jan 20;16(1):e0243864. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243864. eCollection 2021.
citation: Hu K, Wu J, Dong Y, Yan Z, Lu Z, Liu L. Comparison between ultrasound-guided percutaneous radiofrequency and microwave ablation in benign thyroid nodules. J Cancer Res Ther. 2019;15(7):1535-1540. doi: 10.4103/jcrt.JCRT_322_19.
citation: Guo DM, Chen Z, Zhai YX, Su HH. Comparison of radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation for benign thyroid nodules: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2021 Jul;95(1):187-196. doi: 10.1111/cen.14438. Epub 2021 Mar 2.
citation: Jin H, Fan J, Lu L, Cui M. A Propensity Score Matching Study Between Microwave Ablation and Radiofrequency Ablation in Terms of Safety and Efficacy for Benign Thyroid Nodules Treatment. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021 Mar 9;12:584972. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2021.584972. eCollection 2021.
citation: Kim JH, Baek JH, Lim HK, Ahn HS, Baek SM, Choi YJ, Choi YJ, Chung SR, Ha EJ, Hahn SY, Jung SL, Kim DS, Kim SJ, Kim YK, Lee CY, Lee JH, Lee KH, Lee YH, Park JS, Park H, Shin JH, Suh CH, Sung JY, Sim JS, Youn I, Choi M, Na DG; Guideline Committee for the Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology (KSThR) and Korean Society of Radiology. 2017 Thyroid Radiofrequency Ablation Guideline: Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology. Korean J Radiol. 2018 Jul-Aug;19(4):632-655. doi: 10.3348/kjr.2018.19.4.632. Epub 2018 Jun 14.
citation: Huh JY, Baek JH, Choi H, Kim JK, Lee JH. Symptomatic benign thyroid nodules: efficacy of additional radiofrequency ablation treatment session--prospective randomized study. Radiology. 2012 Jun;263(3):909-16. doi: 10.1148/radiol.12111300. Epub 2012 Mar 21.
citation: Lim HK, Lee JH, Ha EJ, Sung JY, Kim JK, Baek JH. Radiofrequency ablation of benign non-functioning thyroid nodules: 4-year follow-up results for 111 patients. Eur Radiol. 2013 Apr;23(4):1044-9. doi: 10.1007/s00330-012-2671-3. Epub 2012 Oct 25.