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Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors / Pancreatic Neoplasms / Pancreatic Cancer · Journal article
International Journal of Hyperthermia · August 5, 2026
Early or partial results. Treat as a signal, not a conclusion.
This retrospective single-center study of 13 elderly, heavily pretreated patients with advanced pancreatic cancer reports that HIFU combined with PD-1 inhibitors produced a manageable safety profile with predominantly grade 1–2 adverse events, and achieved clinically meaningful pain relief in 76.9% of patients. Median PFS was 3.2 months and median OS was 3.7 months; disease control rate was 75.0% in evaluable patients. However, the very small sample size, lack of a comparator arm, and retrospective design limit the strength of evidence; prospective validation is needed before clinical adoption.
Single-center retrospective cohort study. 13 elderly (≥60 years) patients with advanced pancreatic cancer; 76.9% stage IV; 61.5% had received ≥2 prior lines of systemic therapy. Single center, setting not specified.. Intervention: HIFU combined with PD-1 inhibitors. n = 13. Single center; country not stated..
Clinically meaningful pain relief (≥2-point NRS decrease) achieved in 76.9% of patients (10/13; p=0.0016) with median NRS reduction of 3.0 points HIFU-related adverse events in 46.2% (predominantly grade 1–2) and PD-1-related events in 15.4%; no treatment-related deaths Disease control rate 75.0% (9/12) in evaluable population and 69.2% (9/13) in intention-to-treat population
HIFU-related adverse events in 46.2% (predominantly grade 1–2) and PD-1-related events in 15.4%; no treatment-related deaths
For clinicians caring for elderly, heavily pretreated patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, this study suggests HIFU combined with PD-1 inhibitors may offer meaningful pain relief with acceptable safety. However, modest survival outcomes and the preliminary nature of this small, uncontrolled series warrant caution; prospective trials are necessary before wider adoption.
Small retrospective single-center cohort (n=13) with no comparator arm; safety and pain relief are encouraging but survival outcomes are modest and evidence requires prospective validation.
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For clinicians caring for elderly, heavily pretreated patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, this study suggests HIFU combined with PD-1 inhibitors may offer meaningful pain relief with acceptable safety. However, modest survival outcomes and the preliminary nature of this small, uncontrolled series warrant caution; prospective trials are necessary before wider adoption.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
Background. Pancreatic cancer remains largely refractory to immune checkpoint inhibitors. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) may modulate the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment via immunogenic cell death, yet clinical evidence on HIFU combined with programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors in elderly patients is scarce.Methods. This single-center retrospective study enrolled 13 elderly (≥60 years) patients with advanced pancreatic cancer receiving HIFU plus PD-1 inhibitors (January 2017-December 2024). The primary outcome was safety; secondary outcomes included pain relief (numerical rating scale [NRS]; a decrease of ≥2 points considered clinically meaningful), disease control (RECIST 1.1), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Exploratory analyses comprised a composite risk score (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, albumin, and CA19-9) and peripheral immune profiling.Results. Median age was 68.0 years; 76.9% had stage IV disease and 61.5% had received ≥2 prior lines of systemic therapy. HIFU-related adverse events occurred in 46.2% (predominantly grade 1-2) and PD-1-related events in 15.4%; no treatment-related deaths occurred. Clinically meaningful pain relief was achieved in 76.9% of patients (10/13; p = 0.0016), with a median NRS reduction of 3.0 points (IQR: 2.0-3.0). Disease control rates were 75.0% (9/12) in the evaluable and 69.2% (9/13) in the intention-to-treat population. Median PFS was 3.2 months (95% CI: 1.9-3.9) and median OS was 3.7 months (95% CI: 2.1-7.2).Conclusions. In this small cohort of elderly, heavily pretreated patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, HIFU combined with PD-1 inhibitors showed a manageable safety profile and notable pain relief. Prospective validation in larger studies is warranted.
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