Follow-up and Management of Recurrent Nonmalignant Ampullary Neoplasms

The widespread use of screening endoscopy has increased the detection rate of ampullary neoplasms. Most of these lesions are adenomas or carcinomas. The recurrence rates after an endoscopic papillectomy have been reported to range from 5% to 40%, even in cases with pathologically confirmed complete resection. An endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is commonly performed for residual or recurrent lesions, and endoscopic ablation therapies, such as argon plasma coagulation, may be used either as an alternative to or in conjunction with EMR. Recently, radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has garnered attention as a potential alternative to surgical treatment for intraductal residual or recurrent ampullary neoplasms after an endoscopic papillectomy, showing a 75.7% clinical success rate. In cases of recurrence after initial RFA, additional RFA has enabled oncologic control in nearly all patients without the need for surgery. Nevertheless, further prospective studies and accumulation of evidence are necessary to establish the efficacy and safety of RFA in this setting.