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CompletedNCT07107503Updated Aug 6, 2025

10 Years' Follow-up Results of Ultrasound-guided Radiofrequency Ablation Versus Surgery for Low-risk Papillary Thyroid Micro-carcinoma

An observational study in Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma, Radiofrequency Ablation and Surgical Resection, sponsored by Yi Mao. Completed. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-08-06.

Sponsored by Yi Mao · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Retrospective
Enrollment
757
Sex
All
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Study summary

Papillary thyroid micro-carcinoma (PTMC) generally demonstrates favorable prognosis. However, the potential risk of disease progression requires careful therapeutic consideration. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has garnered attention as a minimally invasive treatment option for patients with PTMC who choose to decline both surgical resection (SR) and active surveillance. However, comprehensive comparative studies evaluating RFA versus surgery regarding long-term oncological efficacy, quality-of-life, and cost-effectiveness in multicenter cohorts remain warranted. To compare the oncological outcomes, quality of life, and cost-effectiveness between RFA and SR for low-risk PTMC over 10 years' follow-up.

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Conditions studied

  • Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma
  • Radiofrequency Ablation
  • Surgical Resection
  • Long-term Outcomes
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In context

Lead sponsor

Yi Mao is the lead sponsor of 4 studies on the registry; none are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
Child (0–17), Adult (18–64), Older adult (65+)
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

This retrospective multi-center study included patients with PTMC treated at four university-affiliated hospitals in China from April 2011 to December 2014.

Inclusion criteria

(a) PTC confirmed at FNA or CNB, with a maximum diameter of 1 cm; (b) no clinical or imaging evidence of extra-thyroidal extension (41-42) and no evidence of metastasis at preoperative ultrasonography (US) or neck computed tomography (CT), indicating clinical preoperative T1aN0M0; (c) no history of neck irradiation; (d) no prior thyroid surgery; (e) follow-up of ≥ 120 months.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

(a) severe coagulation disorder or organ failure, (b) evidence of an aggressive sub-type of PTC on biopsy, and (c) incomplete data.

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Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Retrospective
Enrollment
757 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • Radiofrequency ablation

    Procedure: Radiofrequency ablation alone

  • surgical resection

    Procedure: surgical resection

Interventions

  • ProcedureRadiofrequency ablation alone

    RFA was performed by four US physicians with ≥ 10 years of experience in in-terventional US. Before ablation, the patients were placed in the supine position with the neck extended, and local anesthesia was administered with lidocaine (1%). RFAs were performed using the hydro-dissection, trans-isthmic and moving-shot techniques according to previously published guidelines. Ablation was terminated when the target tumor changed to a transient hyperechoic zone. Contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) was performed immediately after ablation to evaluate the ablation area. The presence of complications during or after thermal ablation and corresponding treatments was carefully evaluated. All patients were closely observed for 1-2 h after ablation in the hospital.

  • Proceduresurgical resection

    SR was performed under general anesthesia by surgeons with\>15 years of expe-rience in thyroid surgery. The decision to perform total thyroidectomy or lobectomy was made by individual surgeons and patients, based on patient preferences in consu

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Tumor progression

    Tumor progression included (1) local recurrence confirmed by biopsy, (2) new PTMC tumors confirmed by biopsy, (3) LN metastasis confirmed by biopsy, and (4) distant metastases.

    Time frame: The RFA group follow-ups were conducted at 1, 3, 6, 12, and every 12 months thereafter. The SR group follow-ups were conducted at 1, 6, 12 and every 12 months thereafter. All the patients finished at least 10-year follow-ups.

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Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

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References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Aug 6, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07107503
Lead sponsor
Yi Mao
Responsible party
Yi Mao (clinician, Chinese PLA General Hospital) — Sponsor-investigator
First posted
Aug 6, 2025
Start date
Apr 2011
Primary completion
Dec 2014
Completion
Dec 2024
Last update
Aug 6, 2025

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Jul 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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