Trial Outcomes & Findings for Study to Evaluate the Safety and Effectiveness of Microwave Ablation in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Korea (NCT NCT03586050)

Recruitment occurred from 04Dec2017 through 21May2020.

Study to Evaluate the Safety and Effectiveness of Microwave Ablation in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Korea

Number of participants whose ablation resulted in technical success were reported. Technical success was defined as complete tumor ablation with adequate or insufficient margin, based on contrast-enhanced Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Computed scans immediately following the ablation procedure on Day 0 evaluated by the independent reviewer and principle investigator (PI) based on the response to the question "Confirm outcome of ablation".

Number of participants whose ablation resulted in primary technique efficacy were reported. Primary technique efficacy was defined as a complete tumor ablation with adequate or insufficient ablation margin, based on contrast-enhanced MRI and CT scans follow-up at 1 month after the ablation procedure, evaluated by the independent reviewer and PI based on the response to the question "Confirm outcome of ablation". The primary technique efficacy was achieved if responses were either "Complete tumor ablation with adequate margin" or "Complete tumor ablation with insufficient margin".

Percentage of participants with LTP were reported. The first LTP rate was defined as one minus primary efficacy rate. Primary efficacy rate was defined as percentage of participants with target tumors successfully eradicated following the ablation procedure and measured at each follow-up visit post-ablation. Primary efficacy was achieved when any target tumor had been successfully ablated at the Visit 2 ablation (Technical success achieved) and had no evidence of local tumor progression (LTP) based on the independent reviewer's assessment and PI assessment.

Percentage of participants with primary efficacy based on the independent reviewer and PI assessment were reported. Primary efficacy rate was defined as percentage of participants with target tumors successfully eradicated following the ablation procedure and measured at each follow-up visit post-ablation. Primary efficacy was achieved when any target tumor had been successfully ablated at the Visit 2 ablation (Technical success achieved) and had no evidence of LTP based on the independent reviewer's assessment and PI assessment.

Percentage of participants with secondary efficacy based on the independent reviewer and PI assessment were reported. Secondary efficacy rate was defined as percentage of participants with target tumors that had undergone successful repeat ablation following identification of local tumor progression.

PFS rate was defined as the percentage of participants with PFS. PFS was defined as the time from the first ablation until LTP (first LTP rate was defined as one minus primary efficacy rate), any identification of a new (nontarget) lesion/tumor during follow-up, or death due to any cause (whichever occurs first). PFS rate based on independent reviewer's assessment and PI assessment was reported.

OS rate was defined as the percentage of participants with OS. OS was defined as the time from the first ablation until death due to any cause.

Percentage of participants with AEs within 3 months post ablation were reported. An AE was an untoward medical occurrence (sign, symptom or disease) in a participant, and which did not necessarily have a causal relationship with the study medical device.

Percentage of participants with AEs within 36 months post ablation were reported. An AE was an untoward medical occurrence (sign, symptom or disease) in a participant, and which did not necessarily have a causal relationship with the study medical device.

Change from baseline in VAS pain scores were reported. VAS pain score was a self-reported pain score on a 100 millimeter (mm) scale which ranged from ranged from 0 mm (no pain) to 100 mm (severe pain). Higher score indicated severe pain. Baseline was defined as the last non-missing measurement taken prior to date of first microwave ablation (including unscheduled assessments) or on the date of first microwave ablation but prior to the time of first probe placement.

Change from baseline in EORTC QLQ-C30 scale score were reported. EORTC QLQ-C30 contains 30 questions for assessing overall health in cancer patients. The questions reflect how patients felt during the past week and are scored 1-4 (1=not at all, 2=a little, 3=quite a bit, 4=very much) except for the last two questions, which are scored on a 7-point Likert Scale from 1-7 (1=very poor to 7=excellent). All the questions were transformed to a 0-100 scale and summed for an overall quality of life score, with a high score representing higher quality of life. Baseline: last non-missing measurement prior to date of first microwave ablation or on date of first microwave ablation but prior to time of first probe placement.

Change from baseline in EORTC QLQ HCC 18 scale score were reported. EORTC 18-item hepatocellular cancer health-related quality of life questionnaire (QLQ-HCC18) was an 18-multi-item scales which were grouped into 8 symptom scales such as fatigue, body image, jaundice, nutrition, pain, fever, abdominal swelling and sex life. All scales were grouped and converted to scores of 0 to 100 according to the scoring manual; a higher score represented a more severe symptom or problem. Baseline was defined as the last non-missing measurement taken prior to date of first microwave ablation (including unscheduled assessments) or on the date of first microwave ablation but prior to the time of first probe placement.

Complete procedure time was defined as the time between the first probe placement and the last probe removal.

Total ablation duration were reported.

The median number of ablations was reported.

Length of hospital stay were reported. Length of hospital stay was defined as the time from procedure completion to hospital discharge.

Percentage of participants with single and multiple probes usage were reported. PR and LK probes were used at least once.