A Randomized Clinical Trial Evaluating the Efficacy of Coaxial Percutaneous Iodine-125 Seed Implantation in Combination with Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy for Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Abstract Background This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of coaxial percutaneous Iodine-125 (125I) seed implantation in combination with arterial infusion chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer through a randomized controlled trial. Methods 101 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer were randomized into two groups: a control group treated with systemic intravenous chemotherapy, and an experimental group of 125I seed implantation in combination with arterial infusion chemotherapy. Outcomes including tumor control, abdominal pain relief, and survival time were compared in these two groups.Result Pretreatment abdominal pain scores were comparable in both groups, whereas the abdominal pain scores at 1 and 3 months post-treatment were significantly lower in the control group than in the experimental group (1 month 3.74±1.54 vs 4.48±1.46,p=0.015; 3 months: 3.64 ±2.21 vs 5.40±1.56, p<0.001). At 3 months post-treatment, computed tomography scans (CT) revealed a significantly higher objective remission rate in the experimental group than in the control group (82% vs. 38%,p<0.001). The median survival interval in the experimental group was significantly longer than that in the control group (15 months vs 9 months, p<0.001). Conclusion The combination of coaxial percutaneous 125I seed implantation and arterial infusion chemotherapy can satisfactorily alleviate abdominal pain, improve tumor control rates, and prolong survival as compared to control treatment in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Future studies should include a larger sample size to confirm these findings.