Trial Comparing EUS-guided Radiofrequency Ablation vs. EUS-guided Celiac Plexus Neurolysis

NCT ID: NCT03152487

Last Updated: 2019-02-11

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

28 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2017-04-24

Study Completion Date

2018-08-01

Brief Summary

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Pancreatic cancer is the second most common gastrointestinal malignancy. Abdominal discomfort is a main symptom in patients with pancreatic cancer. Approximately 75% have pain at diagnosis and over 90% in advanced stages. Pain control is an important part of the plan of care for patients with pancreatic cancer.. The celiac plexus is a group of nerves that supply organs in the abdomen. EUS-guided celiac plexus neurolysis (EUS-CPN) has been widely used for pain management in patients with pancreatic cancer. Radiofrequency ablation of celiac ganglia or celiac plexus (EUS-RFA) is also being performed to alleviate abdominal pain in pancreatic cancer patients. However currently no comparative studies exist comparing EUS-CPN with EUS-RFA. The purpose of the study is to compare EUS-CPN with EUS-RFA for pain management in pancreatic patients, in order to determine which technique is better at improving pain in pancreatic cancer patients.

Detailed Description

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Pancreatic cancer is the second most common gastrointestinal malignancy and fourth leading cause of cancer mortality. The incidence in the US is estimated at 8.8 per 100,000 population with 30,000 new cases diagnosed annually. The prognosis of unresectable pancreatic cancer is poor; overall 1 and 5-year survivals do not exceed 20 and 4%, respectively. For the minority of patients (15%) who are resectable at diagnosis, the median survival is 10-20 months, with 5-year survival of 10-25%.

Abdominal discomfort is a predominant symptom in patients with pancreatic cancer. Approximately 75% have pain at diagnosis and over 90% in advanced stages. Therefore a major aspect of palliation is provision of adequate pain control. The standard approach to pain management is based on the World Health Organization (WHO) 3-step ladder, beginning with non-opioid analgesics (e.g. non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or acetaminophen), followed by weak opioids and then finally strong opioids as necessary. Virtually all patients require escalating doses of opioids during their disease. Adjuvant therapies, including other medications (e.g. trazodone, tricyclic anti-depressants, and bisphosphonates), palliative radionucleotides, external beam radiation, or chemotherapy may also be useful for symptomatic control.

In the last 10 years, EUS-guided celiac plexus neurolysis (EUS-CPN) has been widely practiced for alleviation of pain in patients with pancreatic cancer and has been shown to be effective. At our institution, radiofrequency ablation (EUS-RFA), which involves ablation of celiac ganglia or celiac plexus using a radiofrequency catheter, is being performed to alleviate abdominal pain in pancreatic cancer patients. However currently no comparative studies exist comparing EUS-CPN with EUS-RFA for pain alleviation in pancreatic cancer patients.

In this randomized trial, the investigators will be comparing EUS-CPN with EUS-RFA for pain alleviation in pancreatic patients, in order to determine which technique is better at improving pain in pancreatic cancer patients.

Conditions

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Pancreatic Carcinoma Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Pancreatic Neoplasms Pancreatic Cancer Pancreatic Cancer, Adult

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Subjects will randomized to either a group that receives Celiac Plexus Neurolysis or Radiofrequency Ablation.
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Celiac Plexus Neurolysis

CPN will be undertaken at the celiac space which is located between the aorta and the celiac artery origin. A 22 or 19-gauge Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) needle is used, and its tip is placed slightly anterior and cephalic to the origin of the celiac artery. Aspiration is first performed using a syringe to ensure that vascular puncture has not occurred. 10 mL Bupivacaine is injected first, followed by 20 mL of 98% alcohol.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Celiac Plexus Neurolysis

Intervention Type OTHER

This intervention involves accessing the Celiac Plexus Nerve via endoscopic guided ultrasound and then injecting the nerve bundle with bupivacaine.

Radiofrequency Ablation

Once the celiac ganglia are identified on EUS, a 19-gauge FNA needle is inserted into the center of the ganglion or area of celiac plexus under EUS guidance. The radiofrequency (RF) probe (EMcision, Montreal, Canada) is advanced through the FNA needle. Radiofrequency ablation is performed via the probe for 90 seconds, followed by a 90 second rest and repeated as required.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Radiofrequency Ablation

Intervention Type OTHER

Radiofrequency ablation is performed via the probe for 90 seconds, followed by a 90 second rest. This is repeated until the entire ganglion becomes hyperechoic on EUS.

Interventions

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Celiac Plexus Neurolysis

This intervention involves accessing the Celiac Plexus Nerve via endoscopic guided ultrasound and then injecting the nerve bundle with bupivacaine.

Intervention Type OTHER

Radiofrequency Ablation

Radiofrequency ablation is performed via the probe for 90 seconds, followed by a 90 second rest. This is repeated until the entire ganglion becomes hyperechoic on EUS.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Age ≥ 19 years
2. The subject is capable of understanding and complying with protocol requirements.
3. The subject is able to understand and willing to sign an informed consent form prior to the initiation of any study procedures.
4. Abdominal pain typical for pancreatic cancer
5. Cross-sectional imaging findings consistent with pancreatic cancer
6. Pancreatic cancer confirmed by EUS-FNA in patients referred for suspected pancreatic cancer OR Patients with known diagnosis of pancreatic cancer
7. Inoperable pancreatic cancer as determined during EUS or prior CT

Exclusion Criteria

1. Age \<19 years
2. Unable to obtain consent for the procedure from the patient
3. Unable to safely undergo EUS for any reason
4. Irreversible coagulopathy (Prothrombin time \> 18 secs, platelet count \< 50,000/ml)
5. Previous CPN or other neurolytic block that could affect pancreatic cancer-related pain or had implanted epidural or intrathecal analgesic therapy
6. Another cause for abdominal pain such as pseudocyst, ulcer or other intraabdominal disorder
7. Pregnant women will be excluded. This will be confirmed by self-report. Pregnancy in females of childbearing potential will be determined by routine preoperative urine or serum Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) testing.
Minimum Eligible Age

19 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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AdventHealth

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Shyam S Varadarajulu, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

AdventHealth

Locations

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Center for Interventional Endoscopy - Florida Hospital

Orlando, Florida, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Yan BM, Myers RP. Neurolytic celiac plexus block for pain control in unresectable pancreatic cancer. Am J Gastroenterol. 2007 Feb;102(2):430-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1572-0241.2006.00967.x. Epub 2006 Nov 13.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 17100960 (View on PubMed)

Carr DB, Goudas LC, Balk EM, Bloch R, Ioannidis JP, Lau J. Evidence report on the treatment of pain in cancer patients. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr. 2004;(32):23-31. doi: 10.1093/jncimonographs/lgh012.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15263038 (View on PubMed)

World Health Organization. Cancer pain relief, 2nd Ed. Geneva: WHO, 2006

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Penman ID, Rosch T; EUS 2008 Working Group. EUS 2008 Working Group document: evaluation of EUS-guided celiac plexus neurolysis/block (with video). Gastrointest Endosc. 2009 Feb;69(2 Suppl):S28-31. doi: 10.1016/j.gie.2008.11.004. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19179165 (View on PubMed)

Gunaratnam NT, Sarma AV, Norton ID, Wiersema MJ. A prospective study of EUS-guided celiac plexus neurolysis for pancreatic cancer pain. Gastrointest Endosc. 2001 Sep;54(3):316-24. doi: 10.1067/mge.2001.117515.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11522971 (View on PubMed)

Jensen MP, Karoly P, Braver S. The measurement of clinical pain intensity: a comparison of six methods. Pain. 1986 Oct;27(1):117-126. doi: 10.1016/0304-3959(86)90228-9.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 3785962 (View on PubMed)

Kastler A, Aubry S, Sailley N, Michalakis D, Siliman G, Gory G, Lajoie JL, Kastler B. CT-guided stellate ganglion blockade vs. radiofrequency neurolysis in the management of refractory type I complex regional pain syndrome of the upper limb. Eur Radiol. 2013 May;23(5):1316-22. doi: 10.1007/s00330-012-2704-y. Epub 2012 Nov 9.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23138389 (View on PubMed)

Cella DF, Tulsky DS, Gray G, Sarafian B, Linn E, Bonomi A, Silberman M, Yellen SB, Winicour P, Brannon J, et al. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy scale: development and validation of the general measure. J Clin Oncol. 1993 Mar;11(3):570-9. doi: 10.1200/JCO.1993.11.3.570.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 8445433 (View on PubMed)

Bang JY, Hasan MK, Sutton B, Holt BA, Navaneethan U, Hawes R, Varadarajulu S. Intraprocedural increase in heart rate during EUS-guided celiac plexus neurolysis: Clinically relevant or just a physiologic change? Gastrointest Endosc. 2016 Nov;84(5):773-779.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.gie.2016.03.1496. Epub 2016 Apr 2.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27048974 (View on PubMed)

Cotton PB, Eisen GM, Aabakken L, Baron TH, Hutter MM, Jacobson BC, Mergener K, Nemcek A Jr, Petersen BT, Petrini JL, Pike IM, Rabeneck L, Romagnuolo J, Vargo JJ. A lexicon for endoscopic adverse events: report of an ASGE workshop. Gastrointest Endosc. 2010 Mar;71(3):446-54. doi: 10.1016/j.gie.2009.10.027. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20189503 (View on PubMed)

Bang JY, Sutton B, Hawes RH, Varadarajulu S. EUS-guided celiac ganglion radiofrequency ablation versus celiac plexus neurolysis for palliation of pain in pancreatic cancer: a randomized controlled trial (with videos). Gastrointest Endosc. 2019 Jan;89(1):58-66.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.gie.2018.08.005. Epub 2018 Aug 16.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 30120957 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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1035541

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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