Table 6.
Studies of high intensity focused ultrasound in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
| Study | n | Study | Outcome and survival | Complications |
| Wang et al[59] (non-English article) | 15 | HIFU monotherapy in late stage PDAC | Pain relief: 13/13 (100%) | Mild abdominal pain (2/15) |
| Xie et al[60] (non-English article) | 41 | HIFU alone vs HIFU + gemcitabine in locally advanced PDAC | Pain relief: HIFU (66.7%), | None |
| HIFU + gemcitabine (76.6%) | ||||
| Xu et al[61] (non-English article) | 37 | HIFU monotherapy in advanced PDAC | Pain relief: 24/30 (80%) | None |
| Yuan et al[62] (non-English article) | 40 | HIFU monotherapy | Pain relief: 32/40 (80%) | None |
| Wu et al[63] | 8 | HIFU in advanced PDAC | Median survival: 11.25 mo | None |
| Pain relief: 8/8 | ||||
| Xiong et al[64] | 89 | HIFU in unresectable PDAC | Median survival: 26.0 mo (stage II), 11.2 mo (stage III) and 5.4 mo (stage IV) | Superficial skin burns (3.4%), subcutaneous fat sclerosis (6.7%), asymptomatic pseudocyst (1.1%) |
| Zhao et al[65] | 37 | Phase II study of gemcitabine + HIFU in locally advanced PDAC | Overall survival: 12.6 mo (95%CI: 10.2-15.0 mo) Pain relief: 78.6% | 16.2% experienced grade 3 or 4 neutropenia, 5.4% developed grade 3 thrombocytopenia, 8% had nausea vomiting |
| Orsi et al[66] | 6 | HIFU in unresectable PDAC | Pain relief: 6/6 (100%) | Portal vein thrombosis (1/6) |
| Sung et al[67] | 46 | Stage III or IV PDAC | Median survival: 12.4 mo. Overall survival at 12 mo was 30.4% | Minor complications (abdominal pain, fever and nausea): 57.1% (28/29) Major complications (pancreaticoduodenal fistula, gastric ulcer or skin burns): 10.2% (5/49) |
| Wang et al[68] | 40 | Advanced PDAC | Median overall survival: 10 mo (stage III) and 6 mo (stage IV). Pain relief: 35/40 (87.5%) | None |
| Lee et al[69] | 12 | HIFU monotherapy in unresectable PDAC (3/12 received chemotherapy) | Median overall survival for those receiving HIFU alone (9/12 patients): 10.3 mo | Pancreatitis: 1/12 |
| Li et al[70] | 25 | Unresectable PDAC | Median overall survival: 10 mo. 42% survived more than 1 year. Performance status and pain levels improved: 23/25 | 1st degree skin burn: 12% Mortality: 0% |
| Wang et al[71] | 224 | Advanced PDAC | Not reported | Abdominal distension, anorexia and nausea: 10/ 224 (4.5%). Asymptomatic vertebral injury: 2/224 |
| Gao et al[72] | 39 | Locally advanced PDAC | Pain relief: 79.5% Median overall survival: 11 mo. 30.8% survived more than one year | None |
HIFU: High intensity focused ultrasound; PDAC: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.