Short-term outcomes in radiofrequency ablation for the primary treatment of T1N0M0 papillary thyroid carcinomas

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been gaining traction for treating benign thyroid nodules, but its use for papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs) remains uncommon. We conducted a single institution prospective cohort study of patients who underwent RFA for biopsy-proven PTC(s) 1.5 ​cm in greatest diameter. Primary outcomes included volume reduction ratio (VRR) at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months and rate of complications. We performed RFA on 46 ​PTCs in 41 patients. With a median follow-up of 8 months (IQR:6-12.3), we achieved complete sonographic disappearance of 85 ​% of tumors. Median VRR was -107.5 ​% (IQR: 322.3 - 6.0), 18.8 ​% (IQR: 75 - 54.12), and 100 ​% (IQR:70.7-100) at 1, 3, and 12- months follow-up. Four patients (9.8 ​%) experienced minor complications. Preliminary findings suggest that RFA is a safe and effective treatment modality for patients with PTCs. Additional enrollment and further surveillance are necessary to assess the long-term efficacy of RFA for PTCs.