PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the immune-histochemical characteristics of upgraded malignancy from high-risk and borderline breast lesions, and to correlate the upgrade rates with clinical findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We scrutinized image-guided biopsy records retrospectively, and included all women afflicted with high-risk and borderline breast lesions during the period, 2011 to 2015, inclusive. A total of 340 high-risk and borderline lesions were identified by the pathologist in biopsy samples and thereafter, surgical excision and/or image follow-up for at least 24 months was performed. We compared the clinical emanating from both high-risk and borderline lesions, and with and without cancer upgrade. In the instances of lesions with cancer upgrade, histologic and immuohistochemical reviews were performed. RESULTS: Of the 340 high-risk or borderline lesions, 18.8% (64/340) were upgraded. The upgrade rates were higher in patients of more advanced age, larger body habitus and afflicted with atypical ductal hyperplasia rather than with other pathology (p < 0.05). In the lesions with cancer upgrade (n = 64), there was no lymph node metastasis. The estrogen receptor-positive (93.8%), progesterone receptor-positive (87.5%), human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2-negative (90.6%), Ki-67-negative (82.8%), and Luminal A (76.6%) types were seen more frequently. CONCLUSION Most upgraded malignancies arising from high-risk and borderline breast lesions were found to be Luminal A-type with good prognostic factors, and the upgrade rates correlated with clinical characteristics.

This retrospective cohort study aimed to compare coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related clinical outcomes between patients with and without gout. Electronic health recordbased data from two centers (Seoul National University Hospital [SNUH] and Boramae Medical Center [BMC]), from January 2021 to April 2022, were mapped to a common data model. Patients with and without gout were matched using a large-scale propensityscore algorithm based on population-level estimation methods. At the SNUH, the risk for COVID-19 diagnosis was not significantly different between patients with and without gout (hazard ratio [HR], 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59–1.84). Within 30 days after COVID-19 diagnosis, no significant difference was observed in terms of hospitalization (HR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.03–3.90), severe outcomes (HR, 2.90; 95% CI, 0.54–13.71), or mortality (HR, 1.35; 95% CI, 0.06–16.24). Similar results were obtained from the BMC database, suggesting that gout does not increase the risk for COVID-19 diagnosis or severe outcomes.

Objectives: In the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, where an ecosystem is being developed to enhance the quality of healthcare services by applying information and communication technologies, systematic and sustainable data management is essential for medical institutions. In this study, we assessed the data management status and emerging concerns of three medical institutions, while also examining future directions for seamless data management. Methods: To evaluate the data management status, we examined data types, capacities, infrastructure, backup methods, and related organizations. We also discussed challenges, such as resource and infrastructure issues, problems related to government regulations, and considerations for future data management. Results: Hospitals are grappling with the increasing data storage space and a shortage of management personnel due to costs and project termination, which necessitates countermeasures and support. Data management regulations on the destruction or maintenance of medical records are needed, and institutional consideration for secondary utilization such as long-term treatment or research is required. Government-level guidelines for facilitating hospital data sharing and mobile patient services should be developed. Additionally, hospital executives at the organizational level need to make efforts to facilitate the clinical validation of artificial intelligence software. Conclusions This analysis of the current status and emerging issues of data management reveals potential solutions and sets the stage for future organizational and policy directions. If medical big data is systematically managed, accumulated over time, and strategically monetized, it has the potential to create new value.

Understanding the crosstalk mechanisms between perivascular cells (PVCs) and cancer cells might be beneficial in preventing cancer development and metastasis. In this study, we investigated the paracrine influence of PVCs derived from human umbilical cords on the proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cells (A549) and erythroleukemia cells (TF-1α and K562) in vitro using Transwell® co-culture systems. PVCs promoted the proliferation of A549 cells without inducing morphological changes, but had no effect on the proliferation of TF-1α and K562 cells. To identify the factors secreted from PVCs, conditioned media harvested from PVC cultures were analyzed by antibody arrays. We identified a set of cytokines, including persephin (PSPN), a neurotrophic factor, and a key regulator of oral squamous cell carcinoma progression. Supplementation with PSPN significantly increased the proliferation of A549 cells. These results suggested that PVCs produced a differential effect on the proliferation of cancer cells in a cell-type dependent manner. Further, secretome analyses of PVCs and the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms could facilitate the discovery of therapeutic target(s) for lung cancer.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Coculture Techniques ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; Cytokines ; Epithelial Cells* ; Humans* ; In Vitro Techniques ; K562 Cells ; Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Umbilical Cord