Purpose: The current study provides national cancer statistics and their secular trends in Korea, including incidence, mortality, survival, and prevalence in 2022, with international comparisons. Materials and Methods: Cancer incidence, survival, and prevalence rates were calculated using the Korea National Cancer Incidence Database (1999-2022), with survival follow-up until December 31, 2023. Mortality data obtained from Statistics Korea, while international comparisons were based on GLOBOCAN data. Results: In 2022, 282,047 newly diagnosed cancer cases (age-standardized rate [ASR], 287.0 per 100,000) and 83,378 deaths from cancer (ASR, 65.7 per 100,000) were reported. The proportion of localized-stage cancers increased from 45.6% in 2005 to 50.9% in 2022. Stomach, colorectal, and breast cancer showed increased localized-stage diagnoses by 18.1, 18.5, and 9.9 percentage points, respectively. Compared to 2001-2005, the 5-year relative survival (2018-2022) increased by 20.4 percentage points for stomach cancer, 7.6 for colorectal cancer, and 5.6 for breast cancer. Korea had the lowest cancer mortality among countries with similar incidence rates and the lowest mortality-to-incidence (M/I) ratios for these cancers. The 5-year relative survival (2018-2022) was 72.9%, contributing to over 2.59 million prevalent cases in 2022. Conclusion Since the launch of the National Cancer Screening Program in 2002, early detection has improved, increasing the diagnosis of localized-stage cancers and survival rates. Korea recorded the lowest M/I ratio among major comparison countries, demonstrating the effectiveness of its National Cancer Control Program.

Purpose: The current study provides national cancer statistics and their secular trends in Korea, including incidence, mortality, survival, and prevalence in 2022, with international comparisons. Materials and Methods: Cancer incidence, survival, and prevalence rates were calculated using the Korea National Cancer Incidence Database (1999-2022), with survival follow-up until December 31, 2023. Mortality data obtained from Statistics Korea, while international comparisons were based on GLOBOCAN data. Results: In 2022, 282,047 newly diagnosed cancer cases (age-standardized rate [ASR], 287.0 per 100,000) and 83,378 deaths from cancer (ASR, 65.7 per 100,000) were reported. The proportion of localized-stage cancers increased from 45.6% in 2005 to 50.9% in 2022. Stomach, colorectal, and breast cancer showed increased localized-stage diagnoses by 18.1, 18.5, and 9.9 percentage points, respectively. Compared to 2001-2005, the 5-year relative survival (2018-2022) increased by 20.4 percentage points for stomach cancer, 7.6 for colorectal cancer, and 5.6 for breast cancer. Korea had the lowest cancer mortality among countries with similar incidence rates and the lowest mortality-to-incidence (M/I) ratios for these cancers. The 5-year relative survival (2018-2022) was 72.9%, contributing to over 2.59 million prevalent cases in 2022. Conclusion Since the launch of the National Cancer Screening Program in 2002, early detection has improved, increasing the diagnosis of localized-stage cancers and survival rates. Korea recorded the lowest M/I ratio among major comparison countries, demonstrating the effectiveness of its National Cancer Control Program.

Purpose: The current study provides national cancer statistics and their secular trends in Korea, including incidence, mortality, survival, and prevalence in 2022, with international comparisons. Materials and Methods: Cancer incidence, survival, and prevalence rates were calculated using the Korea National Cancer Incidence Database (1999-2022), with survival follow-up until December 31, 2023. Mortality data obtained from Statistics Korea, while international comparisons were based on GLOBOCAN data. Results: In 2022, 282,047 newly diagnosed cancer cases (age-standardized rate [ASR], 287.0 per 100,000) and 83,378 deaths from cancer (ASR, 65.7 per 100,000) were reported. The proportion of localized-stage cancers increased from 45.6% in 2005 to 50.9% in 2022. Stomach, colorectal, and breast cancer showed increased localized-stage diagnoses by 18.1, 18.5, and 9.9 percentage points, respectively. Compared to 2001-2005, the 5-year relative survival (2018-2022) increased by 20.4 percentage points for stomach cancer, 7.6 for colorectal cancer, and 5.6 for breast cancer. Korea had the lowest cancer mortality among countries with similar incidence rates and the lowest mortality-to-incidence (M/I) ratios for these cancers. The 5-year relative survival (2018-2022) was 72.9%, contributing to over 2.59 million prevalent cases in 2022. Conclusion Since the launch of the National Cancer Screening Program in 2002, early detection has improved, increasing the diagnosis of localized-stage cancers and survival rates. Korea recorded the lowest M/I ratio among major comparison countries, demonstrating the effectiveness of its National Cancer Control Program.

Purpose: The current study provides national cancer statistics and their secular trends in Korea, including incidence, mortality, survival, and prevalence in 2021. Materials and Methods: Incidence, survival, and prevalence rates of cancer were calculated using the Korea National Cancer Incidence Database, from 1999 to 2021, with survival follow-up until December 31, 2022. Deaths from cancer were assessed using causes-of-death data obtained from Statistics Korea. Results: The number of new cancer diagnoses in 2021 increased by 27,002 cases (10.8%) compared to 2020. In 2021, newly diagnosed cancer cases and deaths from cancer were reported as 277,523 (age-standardized rate [ASR], 289.3 per 100,000) and 82,688 (ASR, 67.6 per 100,000), respectively. The overall cancer incidence rates increased by 3.3% annually from 1999 to 2012, and decreased by 5.3% from 2012 to 2015, thereafter, followed by non-significant changes. Cancer mortality rates have been decreasing since 2002, with more rapid decline in recent years (annual decrease of 2.8% from 2002 to 2013; 3.2% from 2013 to 2021). The 5-year relative survival between 2017 and 2021 was 72.1%, which contributed to prevalent cases reaching over 2.4 million in 2021. Conclusion In 2021, the number of newly diagnosed cancer patients increased as healthcare utilization recovered from the coronavirus disease 2019–related declines of 2020. Revised cancer registration guidelines expanded the registration scope, particularly for stomach and colorectal cancer. Survival rates have improved over the years, leading to a growing population of cancer survivors, necessitating a comprehensive cancer control strategy. The long-term impact of the pandemic on cancer statistics requires future investigation.

Background: Evidence on the association between obesity parameters, including body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC), and osteoarthritis is limited. This study aimed to investigate these associations in Korean adults. Methods: This nationwide cross-sectional study used data from 24,101 adults aged ≥19 years who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016–2020. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for osteoarthritis according to BMI and WC were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results: The prevalence of osteoarthritis was higher in individuals with general (10.0%) and abdominal obesity (12.8%) compared with those without. Greater BMI and WC were associated with a higher prevalence (P<0.001) and risk of osteoarthritis (Model 3, P for trend <0.001). Individuals with general and abdominal obesity were associated with a 1.50-fold (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.35–1.67) and 1.64-fold (OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.47–1.84) increased risk of osteoarthritis, compared with those without. Similar associations were observed in subgroups according to age, sex, smoking status, and presence of diabetes mellitus. The odds of osteoarthritis 1.73-fold increased (OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.53–1.95) in individuals with both general and abdominal obesity compared with those without any of them. Conclusion Greater BMI, WC, and general and abdominal obesity were associated with an increased risk of osteoarthritis in Korean adults. Appropriate management of abdominal and general obesity may be important to reduce the risk of osteoarthritis.

Purpose: Renal tumors account for approximately 7% of all childhood cancers. These include Wilms tumor (WT), clear cell sarcoma of the kidney (CCSK), malignant rhabdoid tumor of the kidney (MRTK), renal cell carcinoma (RCC), congenital mesoblastic nephroma (CMN) and other rare tumors. We investigated the epidemiology of pediatric renal tumors in Korea. Materials and Methods: From January 2001 to December 2015, data of pediatric patients (0–18 years) newly-diagnosed with renal tumors at 26 hospitals were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Among 439 patients (male, 240), the most common tumor was WT (n=342, 77.9%), followed by RCC (n=36, 8.2%), CCSK (n=24, 5.5%), MRTK (n=16, 3.6%), CMN (n=12, 2.7%), and others (n=9, 2.1%). Median age at diagnosis was 27.1 months (range 0-225.5) and median follow-up duration was 88.5 months (range 0-211.6). Overall, 32 patients died, of whom 17, 11, 1, and 3 died of relapse, progressive disease, second malignant neoplasm, and treatment-related mortality. Five-year overall survival and event free survival were 97.2% and 84.8% in WT, 90.6% and 82.1% in RCC, 81.1% and 63.6% in CCSK, 60.3% and 56.2% in MRTK, and 100% and 91.7% in CMN, respectively (p < 0.001). Conclusion The pediatric renal tumor types in Korea are similar to those previously reported in other countries. WT accounted for a large proportion and survival was excellent. Non-Wilms renal tumors included a variety of tumors and showed inferior outcome, especially MRTK. Further efforts are necessary to optimize the treatment and analyze the genetic characteristics of pediatric renal tumors in Korea.

Background: We investigated whether low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and isolated and non-isolated low HDL-C levels are associated with the risk of cardiovascular diseases and all-cause mortality among Korean adults. Methods: We included 8,665,841 individuals aged ≥20 years who had undergone a health examination provided by the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) in 2009 and were followed up until the end of 2018. The hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for study outcomes were calculated using multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. Results: During the 8.2 years of mean follow-up, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and all-cause mortality occurred in 81,431, 110,996, and 244,309 individuals, respectively. After adjusting for confounding variables (model 3), individuals with low HDL-C and lower HDL quartiles were associated with significantly increased risks of all three outcomes, compared to those with normal HDL-C and highest HDL-C quartile (all P<0.001), respectively. HRs for incident MI (1.28; 95% CI, 1.26 to 1.30), stroke (1.13; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.15), and all-cause mortality (1.07; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.08) increased in the non-isolated low HDL-C group compared to the normal HDL-C group. Isolated low HDL-C also showed an increase in the HRs of incident stroke (1.06; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.08) and all-cause mortality (1.30; 95% CI, 1.28 to 1.32). Conclusion Low HDL-C and non-isolated low HDL-C were associated with increased risk of MI, stroke, and all-cause mortality, and isolated low HDL-C was associated with incident stroke and all-cause mortality risk.

Background/Aims: We evaluated the feasibility and long-term efficacy of the combination of cytarabine, idarubicin, and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) for treating patients with newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Methods: We included 87 patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia and a t(15;17) or promyelocytic leukemia/retinoic acid receptor alpha (PML-RARα) mutation. Patients received 12 mg/m2/day idarubicin intravenously for 3 days and 100 mg/m2/day cytarabine for 7 days, plus 45 mg/m2/day ATRA. Clinical outcomes included complete remission (CR), relapse-free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), and the secondary malignancy incidence during a 20-year follow-up. Results: The CR, 10-year RFS, and 10-year OS rates were 89.7%, 94.1%, and 73.8%, respectively, for all patients. The 10-year OS rate was 100% for patients that achieved CR. Subjects were classified according to the white blood cell (WBC) count in peripheral blood at diagnosis (low-risk, WBC < 10,000/mm3; high-risk, WBC ≥ 10,000/mm3). The low-risk group had significantly higher RFS and OS rates than the high-risk group, but the outcomes were not superior to the current standard treatment (arsenic trioxide plus ATRA). Toxicities were similar to those observed with anthracycline plus ATRA, and higher than those observed with arsenic trioxide plus ATRA. The secondary malignancy incidence after APL treatment was 2.7%, among the 75 patients that achieved CR, and 5.0% among the 40 patients that survived more than 5 years after the APL diagnosis. Conclusions Adding cytarabine to anthracycline plus ATRA was not inferior to anthracycline plus ATRA alone, but it was not comparable to arsenic trioxide plus ATRA. The probability of secondary malignancy was low.

목적: 이 연구는 2019학년도 역학조사관 입문교육 과정에 참여한 29명의 수습과정생에게 참여형 자기주도 학습 역학조사관 연수 프로그램(FETP)의 효과와 만족도 등 역량 변화를 분석해 그 결과를 향후 과정 개발의 참고 자료로 활용하고자 하였다. 방법: 교육 프로그램의 만족도와 교육 후 모듈에 대한 역량 변화를 평가하는 연구가 수행되었다. 만족도와 역량의 차이 비교는 크루스칼 왈리스 검정(Kruskal-Wallis test)를 실시하였고, 역량의 차이는 윌콕슨 부호순위검정(Wilcoxon signed rank test)에 의해 이루어 졌다. 결과: 2019년 FETP에 참여한 역학조사관 중 여성은 48.3% 였으며, 40세 미만은 9.4% 였다. 역학조사관 입문교육과정 모듈(역학조사, 보건통계 및 정보통계, 감염병 국가 체계, 감염병 질환 감시 체계, 진단 및 실험실 검사, 생물 안전 및 관리, 주요 감염성질환 관리와 조사, 커뮤니케이션, 협동과 리더십, 일반과정)별 만족도는 실무적 도움, 전문성, 기능, 태도 등에서 4점(5점 만점)을 초과하였고, 전체 4.2±0.21(5점 만점)점으로 높은 수준이였다, 모듈의 교육훈련 전후 평균 점수는 2.25±0.91, 3.68±0.63점 등으로 유의한 향상이 있었으며, 모든 모듈 및 하위 주제들도 유의한 향상이 있었다(p<0.001). 그 중에서 현장역학조사 경험이 가장 높은 변화가 있었고, 표본 수집과 실무가 가장 낮은 역량 변화가 있었다. 결론: 2019년 진행된 입문교육 과정은 수료 후 학생들의 역량은 개선되었고, 만족도는 높은 편이었다. 참여형 자기주도학습의 촉진은 역량을 향상시킬 뿐만 아니라 보건 종사자들의 자신감을 높일 수 있었다.

Background: Postoperative thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) suppression therapy is recommended for patients with intermediate- and high-risk differentiated thyroid cancer to prevent the recurrence of thyroid cancer. With the recent increase in small thyroid cancer cases, the extent of resection during surgery has generally decreased. Therefore, questions have been raised about the efficacy and long-term side effects of TSH suppression therapy in patients who have undergone a lobectomy. Methods: This is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial in which 2,986 patients with papillary thyroid cancer are randomized into a high-TSH group (intervention) and a low-TSH group (control) after having undergone a lobectomy. The principle of treatment includes a TSH-lowering regimen aimed at TSH levels between 0.3 and 1.99 μIU/mL in the low-TSH group. The high-TSH group targets TSH levels between 2.0 and 7.99 μIU/mL. The dose of levothyroxine will be adjusted at each visit to maintain the target TSH level. The primary outcome is recurrence-free survival, as assessed by neck ultrasound every 6 to 12 months. Secondary endpoints include disease-free survival, overall survival, success rate in reaching the TSH target range, the proportion of patients with major cardiovascular diseases or bone metabolic disease, the quality of life, and medical costs. The follow-up period is 5 years. Conclusion The results of this trial will contribute to establishing the optimal indication for TSH suppression therapy in low-risk papillary thyroid cancer patients by evaluating the benefit and harm of lowering TSH levels in terms of recurrence, metabolic complications, costs, and quality of life.