Zapping thyroid nodules: a Needle-Free alternative to surgery?
NCT ID NCT07140757
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Sep 17, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This study tracks 50 people who choose radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for benign thyroid nodules or low-risk papillary thyroid cancer instead of surgery. Researchers will monitor long-term outcomes and quality of life using questionnaires. The goal is to see if RFA is a good alternative for those who cannot or prefer not to have surgery.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- radiofrequency ablation
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that radiofrequency ablation is a safe, effective option for managing thyroid nodules and low-risk cancers without surgery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study focused on tracking outcomes, not proving the treatment works. Results may not apply to all patients, and long-term risks are still unknown.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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About 50 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Aug 2025
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2030
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Eligibility Criteria 1. Participants scheduled to undergo ultrasound-guided RFA for the following conditions: benign thyroid nodules, indeterminate thyroid nodules, low-risk DTC, and recurrent PTC 2. Participant is over 18 years and is either not a surgical candidate or has declined surgery. 3. Capable and willing to provide written informed consent 4. Participant has one of the following diagnoses: * Biopsy-proven benign thyroid nodules causing compressive and/or cosmetic symptoms who are requesting treatment, * Biopsy-proven indeterminate nodules (AUS or follicular neoplasm) * Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) without metastasis * Locally recurrent thyroid cancer (\< 2 cm). Exclusion Criteria 1. Participants meeting any of the following criteria will be excluded: 2. Participants considered unsuitable for RFA by the treating physician
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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MD Anderson Cancer Center
RECRUITINGHouston, Texas, 77030, United States
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- No-Drain thyroid surgery shows promise for benign nodules
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