In recent years, next-generation sequencing (NGS)–based genetic testing has become crucial in cancer care. While its primary objective is to identify actionable genetic alterations to guide treatment decisions, its scope has broadened to encompass aiding in pathological diagnosis and exploring resistance mechanisms. With the ongoing expansion in NGS application and reliance, a compelling necessity arises for expert consensus on its application in solid cancers. To address this demand, the forthcoming recommendations not only provide pragmatic guidance for the clinical use of NGS but also systematically classify actionable genes based on specific cancer types. Additionally, these recommendations will incorporate expert perspectives on crucial biomarkers, ensuring informed decisions regarding circulating tumor DNA panel testing.

In recent years, next-generation sequencing (NGS)–based genetic testing has become crucial in cancer care. While its primary objective is to identify actionable genetic alterations to guide treatment decisions, its scope has broadened to encompass aiding in pathological diagnosis and exploring resistance mechanisms. With the ongoing expansion in NGS application and reliance, a compelling necessity arises for expert consensus on its application in solid cancers. To address this demand, the forthcoming recommendations not only provide pragmatic guidance for the clinical use of NGS but also systematically classify actionable genes based on specific cancer types. Additionally, these recommendations will incorporate expert perspectives on crucial biomarkers, ensuring informed decisions regarding circulating tumor DNA panel testing.

The aim of this study was to develop evidence-based recommendations for determining the surgical extent in patients with locally invasive differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Locally invasive DTC with gross extrathyroidal extension invading surrounding anatomical structures may lead to several functional deficits and poor oncological outcomes. At present, the optimal extent of surgery in locally invasive DTC remains a matter of debate, and there are no adequate guidelines. On October 8, 2021, four experts searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases; the identified papers were reviewed by 39 experts in thyroid and head and neck surgery. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to assess the quality of evidence, and to develop and report recommendations. The strength of a recommendation reflects the confidence of a guideline panel that the desirable effects of an intervention outweigh any undesirable effects, across all patients for whom the recommendation is applicable. After completing the draft guidelines, Delphi questionnaires were completed by members of the Korean Society of Head and Neck Surgery. Twenty-seven evidence-based recommendations were made for several factors, including the preoperative workup; surgical extent of thyroidectomy; surgery for cancer invading the strap muscles, recurrent laryngeal nerve, laryngeal framework, trachea, or esophagus; and surgery for patients with central and lateral cervical lymph node involvement. Evidence-based guidelines were devised to help clinicians make safer and more efficient clinical decisions for the optimal surgical treatment of patients with locally invasive DTC.

Background: The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has contributed to the change in the epidemiology of many infectious diseases. This study aimed to establish the pre-pandemic epidemiology of pediatric invasive bacterial infection (IBI). Methods: A retrospective multicenter-based surveillance for pediatric IBIs has been maintained from 1996 to 2020 in Korea. IBIs caused by eight bacteria (Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella species) in immunocompetent children > 3 months of age were collected at 29 centers. The annual trend in the proportion of IBIs by each pathogen was analyzed. Results: A total of 2,195 episodes were identified during the 25-year period between 1996 and 2020. S. pneumoniae (42.4%), S. aureus (22.1%), and Salmonella species (21.0%) were common in children 3 to 59 months of age. In children ≥ 5 years of age, S. aureus (58.1%), followed by Salmonella species (14.8%) and S. pneumoniae (12.2%) were common. Excluding the year 2020, there was a trend toward a decrease in the relative proportions of S. pneumoniae (rs = −0.430, P = 0.036), H. influenzae (rs = −0.922, P < 0.001), while trend toward an increase in the relative proportion of S. aureus (rs = 0.850, P < 0.001), S. agalactiae (rs = 0.615, P = 0.001), and S. pyogenes (rs = 0.554, P = 0.005). Conclusion In the proportion of IBIs over a 24-year period between 1996 and 2019, we observed a decreasing trend for S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae and an increasing trend for S. aureus, S. agalactiae, and S. pyogenes in children > 3 months of age. These findings can be used as the baseline data to navigate the trend in the epidemiology of pediatric IBI in the post COVID-19 era.

Purpose: The proper implantable collamer lens (ICL) size affects ICL stability. This study compared device efficacy using white-to-white diameter (WTW) measurements with Orbscan II and IOL Master 700. Methods: We retrospectively studied 90 eyes (45 patients) who underwent toric ICL implantation from January 2019 to February 2020 and were followed for 1 year. The correlation between WTW and anterior chamber depth (ACD) for each measuring device was analyzed. Results: The mean WTW measured by IOL Master 700 and Orbscan II was 12.2 ± 0.3 and 11.6 ± 0.3 mm, respectively, while the mean ACD was 3.28 ± 0.16 and 3.20 ± 0.15 mm. The WTW and ACD measured with IOL Master 700 averaged 0.57 ± 0.12 and 0.08 ± 0.04 mm larger than with Orbscan II. The differences were significant and the regression analysis had high correlations (R2 = 0.875 and R2 = 0.913, respectively; both p < 0.001). Conclusions WTW measured by the IOL Master 700 can be used as a reference either alone or together with the Orbscan II value to determine ICL size.

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare lung disease characterized by hypoxemic respiratory failure due to the accumulation of lipoproteinaceous material in alveolar macrophages and alveoli. It has been reported that granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) inhalation or whole lung lavage significantly improves the disease state. We present a case of 17-year-old female diagnosed with PAP and treated with both GM-CSF inhalation and whole lung lavage. Her symptoms, imaging findings, and pulmonary function tests improved after these treatments. Therefore, combined treatments of whole lung lavage and subsequent GM-CSF inhalation should be considered a treatment option for children and adolescents.

Background/Aims: There have been few multicenter studies on colonic polyps conducted by primary medical institutions. This study examined the detection rate of colonic polyps in primary health care institutions and the related factors while following the guidelines. Methods: The medical records of 14,029 patients who underwent colonoscopy between January-June 2020 at 40 primary medical institutions in Korea were analyzed. High-risk adenoma was defined as advanced adenoma, carcinoma, or ≥3 adenomas. Results: Most patients (71.2%) aged ≥50 years underwent re-colonoscopy within 5 years (51.3%) for diagnostic purposes (61.3%) in Korean primary medical institutions. The detection rates of colon polyps, adenoma, advanced adenoma, high-risk adenoma, and carcinoma was 59.9%, 38.9%, 5.9%, 11.4%, and 0.3% in all subjects and 59.8%, 37.5%, 8.5%, 12.9%, and 0.3% in average-risk patients, respectively. The incidences of adenoma in average-risk patients increased significantly with age (30s/40s/50s: 20.1%/29.4%/43% for adenoma, 4.4%/6.7%/10.3% for advanced adenoma, and 5.6%/9.5%/14.6% for high-risk adenoma; p<0.05). Before 50 years of age, high-risk adenoma was detected in 9.1% of patients in the first-time screening group, and the significant risk factors were being male and ≥40 years of age. The detection rate of high-risk adenoma in the normal index colonoscopy group within 5 years was 9.0%. The significant risk factors included older age, male sex, positive fecal occult blood test, stool form changes, and nonspecific symptoms (gas and indigestion). Conclusions More colonic adenoma studies targeting real-world clinical practice will be needed to revise the Korean guidelines for colorectal cancer screening and surveillance.

Purpose: The Eyelike K-flex Aspheric® (Koryoeyetech, Seoul, Korea) is manufactured in 0.25-diopter (D) intervals, which allows the target refractive error after surgery to be achieved. We here evaluate the refractive power outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively studied 95 eyes of 72 patients who underwent cataract surgery with implantation of the Eyelike K-flex Aspheric®. Refractive error was measured at 1 and 2 months postoperatively (33 eyes of 27 patients) and compared to that of patients fitted with 0.50-D-interval lenses (62 eyes of 49 patients). Results: At 1 month postoperatively, the mean absolute error between the spherical equivalent and planned value was 0.33 ± 0.28 and 0.41 ± 0.39 D in the 0.25- and 0.50 D-interval lens groups, respectively (p = 0.318). At 2 months postoperatively, the respective values were 0.21 ± 0.15 and 0.34 ± 0.29 D (p = 0.009). Conclusions The Eyelike K-flex Aspheric® shows excellent refractive predictability; use of 0.25-D-interval intraocular lenses close to the target refractive power allows the desired spherical equivalent to be achieved.

The emergence of livestock-associated (LA)-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in livestock animal has become a significant zoonotic concern. In the present study, we investigated nationwide prevalence of LA-MRSA across pork production chain including pig farms, slaughterhouses, and retail markets. A total of 40 MRSA strains were isolated during the investigation and the overall prevalence of MRSA was 3.4% (n = 37), 0.6% (n = 2), and 0.4% (n = 1) in pig farms, slaughterhouses, and retail markets, respectively. Multilocus sequence typing analyses revealed that the 2 most significant clonal lineages in pork production chain in Korea were ST398 (n = 25) and ST541 (n = 6). All of the 40 MRSA isolates were further characterized to investigate key genotypic and phenotypic correlates associated with the emergence and spread of clonal complex 398 (CC398; ST398, and ST541) LA-MRSA. Although the prevalence of swine-associated MRSA was still relatively low and mostly restricted to pig farms, multidrug-resistant CC398 LA-MRSA isolates with new spa types (t18102 and t18103) were identified as a major clonal lineage. The CC398 LA-MRSA strains tended to exhibit increased levels of multiple drug resistance (MDR) phenotype compared with non-CC398 MRSA strains. Of note, in comparison with non-CC398 MRSA isolates, CC398 LA-MRSA isolates exhibited significantly enhanced tetracycline (TET) and zinc resistance. These findings suggested that co-selection pressure associated with MDR phenotype, especially TET resistance, and zinc resistance may have played a significant role in the emergence and persistence of CC398 LA-MRSA in pig farms in Korea.

Purpose: The Eyelike K-flex Aspheric® (Koryoeyetech, Seoul, Korea) is manufactured in 0.25-diopter (D) intervals, which allows the target refractive error after surgery to be achieved. We here evaluate the refractive power outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively studied 95 eyes of 72 patients who underwent cataract surgery with implantation of the Eyelike K-flex Aspheric®. Refractive error was measured at 1 and 2 months postoperatively (33 eyes of 27 patients) and compared to that of patients fitted with 0.50-D-interval lenses (62 eyes of 49 patients). Results: At 1 month postoperatively, the mean absolute error between the spherical equivalent and planned value was 0.33 ± 0.28 and 0.41 ± 0.39 D in the 0.25- and 0.50 D-interval lens groups, respectively (p = 0.318). At 2 months postoperatively, the respective values were 0.21 ± 0.15 and 0.34 ± 0.29 D (p = 0.009). Conclusions The Eyelike K-flex Aspheric® shows excellent refractive predictability; use of 0.25-D-interval intraocular lenses close to the target refractive power allows the desired spherical equivalent to be achieved.