EUS-RFA Versus Surgery for Pancreatic Insulinoma (ERASIN-RCT) (ERASIN-RCT)

January 11, 2026 updated by: Stefano Francesco Crinò, MD, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata Verona

Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided RAdiofrequency Ablation Versus Surgical Resection for the Treatment of Pancreatic INsulinoma: a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

The goal of this muticentre randomized controlled trial is to compare endoscopic ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (EUS-RFA) with surgery for treatment of pancreatic insulinoma. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1) What is the safest treatment? 2) Is efficacy comparable? Patients will be randomized to undergo EUS-RFA or surgical resection. Researchers will compare the rate of adverse events and the clinical efficacy after the two treatments to see if EUS-RFA result safer and effective compare with surgery.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
60

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Italy
      • Verona, Italy, 37138
        • University Hospital of Verona

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age ≥18 years
  • Diagnosis of pancreatic insulinoma (38) (e.g., fasting test, insulin blood levels, C-peptide blood levels)
  • Presence of a visible single pancreatic nodule on imaging (computed tomography, and/or magnetic resonance imaging, and/or endoscopic ultrasound).
  • No evidence of distant localizations visualized at computed tomography, and/or magnetic resonance imaging, and/or endoscopic ultrasound
  • Tumor ≤ 2cm
  • Informed consent provided by the patient or closest relative.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • G2 with Ki-67 >5% on histological examination at EUS-guided biopsy samples (if performed)
  • Distance between lesion and main pancreatic duct ≤ 1mm or upstream dilation of the main pancreatic duct
  • Metastatic tumor at the time of diagnosis
  • Multiple pancreatic nodules
  • Diagnosis of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 according to guidelines
  • Unfit for surgery or high-risk surgical patients
  • Endoscopic ultrasound not feasible for surgical altered anatomy
  • Known bleeding disorder that cannot be sufficiently corrected with co-fact or fresh frozen plasma
  • Use of anticoagulants that cannot be discontinued
  • International normalized ratio >1.5 or platelet count <50.000
  • Pregnancy or breast feeding
  • Failure to sign the patient's or closest relative's informed consent

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation
Endoscopic ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation will be performed using the "EUSRA" system (Taewoong, Seoul, Korea). The system consists of a 19-gauge needle electrode (140-cm long), a radiofrequency current generator (VIVA RF generator; Taewoong), and an inner cooling system that circulates chilled saline solution during the radiofrequency ablation procedure. The inner metal part is insulated over its entire length, with the exception of the terminal 5 to 20mm for energy delivery. The needle electrode is attached to the radiofrequency current generator and to a cooling pump. The generator, in addition to providing radiofrequency current, allows the control of physical power and impedance parameters.
Procedure: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided radio frequency ablation
Radiofrequency ablation performed under endoscopic ultrasound guidance of pancreatic insulinoma
Active Comparator: Surgery
Surgical resection will be performed in an inpatient setting. The type and extension of surgical resection, as well as need for lymphadenectomy, will be decided by the treating surgeons according to the tumor position, distance from the main pancreatic duct, and local expertise.
Procedure: Surgery
Surgical resection of pancreatic insulinoma

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Rate of adverse events
Time Frame: Up to 72 months
Rate of overall and severe adverse events will be recorded
Up to 72 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Clinical effectiveness
Time Frame: Up to 72 months
Rate of patients experiencing symptoms disappearance
Up to 72 months
Evaluation of quality of life by questionnaire
Time Frame: Up to 72 months
Assessment of quality of life using a questionnaire
Up to 72 months
Length of hospital stay
Time Frame: Up to 72 months
Days of hospitalization
Up to 72 months
Recurrence
Time Frame: Up to 72 months
Rate of local or distant recurrence
Up to 72 months
Reintervention
Time Frame: Up to 72 months
Rate of reintervention
Up to 72 months
Pancreatic insufficiency
Time Frame: Up to 72 months
Rate of endocrine or exocrine pancreatic insufficiency
Up to 72 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata Verona

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 1, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
October 31, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
October 31, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 1, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 9, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 21, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 13, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 11, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 4121CESC

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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