Oolonghomobisflavan B (OHBFB) is a prominent and specific polyphenolic constituent of oolong tea. We previously identified a cell membrane receptor for OHBFB and showed that it induces cancer-selective cell death in vitro and in vivo, although its standalone anticancer efficacy is limited. 5,7-Dimethoxyflavone (5,7-DMF), a principal bioactive component of black ginger (Kaempferia parviflora), also exhibits anticancer activity.Here, we demonstrate that 5,7-DMF synergistically enhances the anticancer effect of OHBFB in multiple myeloma cells by boosting OHBFB-induced intracellular cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) production. Moreover, co-treatment with OHBFB and 5,7-DMF triggers apoptotic cell death in multiple myeloma cells, accompanied by activation of the cGMP/acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) pathway. In summary, 5,7-DMF amplifies the anticancer activity of OHBFB by upregulating cGMP in multiple myeloma cells.

Background: Baricitinib is one of the front-runners among targeted agents for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD). Although many studies have been conducted on the real-world use of baricitinib, the sample size is often small and data is focused primarily on Caucasians. Objective: The objective of this study was to demonstrate the real-world itch-relieving property of baricitinib in adult AD patients in South Korea. Methods: Electronic medical records of AD patients treated with baricitinib at the National Medical Center in Korea from May 2021 to April 2023 were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Seventy patients completed 16 to 52 weeks of baricitinib treatment, with most patients showing mild-to-moderate baseline lesions and moderate-to-severe baseline itch. At Week 16 of baricitinib treatment, there was a 50% reduction in Itch numerical rating scale from baseline, and 50.7% of patients showed 50% improvement in Eczema Area and Severity Index score.The efficacy of baricitinib was also reflected in the patient reported outcomes, with 55%–58% improvements in Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure, Atopic Dermatitis Control Tool, and Dermatology Life Quality Index scores seen within 2 weeks of treatment. No new safety signals were detected in this study. Conclusion Baricitinib treatment for 52 weeks in Korean patients with itch dominant AD confirmed long term effectiveness and safety.

Background/Aims: The absence of standardized clinical minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) breakpoints for Helicobacter pylori infection has resulted in inconsistent resistance definitions, even within the same research group in Korea. Therefore, establishing epidemiological cutoff values (ECOFFs) is essential for standardization. Methods: The MIC distributions for antibiotics commonly used against H. pylori infection in South Korea were analyzed from 2015 to 2023. A total of 5,925 primary H. pylori isolates were collected from five data sources, and MIC values were determined using the serial 2-fold agar dilution method. The ECOFFinder program was used to establish ECOFFs for six antibiotics. Results: The tentative ECOFFs for amoxicillin and clarithromycin were 0.125 μg/mL. The ECOFFs for levofloxacin, metronidazole, and tetracycline were 0.5, 8.0, and 0.25 μg/mL, respec-tively. The ECOFF for rifabutin could not be determined due to insufficient data. On the basis of these ECOFFs, the resistance rate was 17.9% for amoxicillin, 31.9% for clarithromycin, 40.9% for levofloxacin, 24.7% for metronidazole, and 11.5% for tetracycline. Conclusions This comprehensive analysis defined regional antibiotic resistance patterns and established Korea-specific ECOFFs, providing a foundation for determining clinical breakpoints and optimizing H. pylori eradication strategies.

Purpose: : This retrospective study clarified the peripheral limb ischemiaincidence and examined the differences in demographic, clinical, and nursing care-related characteristics according to the presence of peripheral limb ischemia in intensive care unit (ICU) patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy. Methods: : Participants were 170 patients who received ECMO therapy at a university hospital over a 10-year period (January 2013 to December 2022). Data, including general, clinical, and nursing care characteristics, were collected from electronic medical records. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, χ2-tests, and Fisher’s exact tests. Results: : Participants’ mean age was 57.49 years, 125 (73.5%) were male, and the average duration of ECMO therapy was 7.22 days. Among them, 75 (44.1%) patients developed peripheral limb ischemia. Significant differences were found between the groups with and without peripheral limb ischemia in mean arterial pressure (t=6.19, p ‹.001), vasopressor use (χ2=8.54, p =.003), anticoagulant use (χ2=15.01, p ‹.001), use of clotting factors (χ2=5.84, p=.016), presence of abdominal distension (χ2=8.97, p=.003), insertion site bleeding (χ2=8.14, p =.004), and laboratory values including white blood cell count (t=2.65, p =.009), hemoglobin (t=2.71, p =.008), platelet count (t=2.88, p =.004), creatine kinase (t=-4.47, p ‹.001), prothrombin time (t=-4.22, p ‹.001), international normalized ratio (t=-4.29, p ‹.001), and frequency of lower limb monitoring (t=5.57, p ‹.001). Conclusion : This study explored the clinical and nursing care-related characteristics associated with peripheral limb ischemia in ICU patients undergoing ECMO therapy. The findings provide evidence to support future research focusing on the early detection and proactive nursing interventions to prevent peripheral limb ischemia in this high-risk population.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive treatment modality used as an alternative to surgery in patients with benign thyroid nodules, recurrent thyroid cancers (RTCs), and primary thyroid microcarcinomas. The Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology (KSThR) initially developed recommendations for the optimal use of RFA for thyroid tumors in 2009 and revised them in 2012 and 2017. As new meaningful evidence has accumulated since 2017 and in response to a growing global interest in the use of RFA for treating malignant thyroid lesions, the task force committee members of the KSThR decided to update the guidelines on the use of RFA for the management of RTCs based on a comprehensive analysis of current literature and expert consensus.

Purpose: Recent development in perioperative treatment of resectable non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have changed the landscape of early lung cancer management. The ADAURA trial has demonstrated the efficacy of adjuvant osimertinib treatment in resectable NSCLC patients; however, studies are required to show which subgroup of patients are at a high risk of relapse and require adjuvant epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment. This study evaluated risk factors for postoperative relapse among patients who underwent complete resection. Materials and Methods: Data were obtained from the Korean Association for Lung Cancer Registry (KALC-R), a database created using a retrospective sampling survey by the Korean Central Cancer Registry (KCCR) and the Lung Cancer Registration Committee. Results: A total of 3,176 patients who underwent curative resection was evaluated. The mean observation time was approximately 35.4 months. Among stage I to IIIA NSCLC patients, the EGFR-mutant subgroup included 867 patients, and 75.2%, 11.2%, and 11.8% were classified as stage I, stage II, and stage III, respectively. Within the EGFR-mutant subgroup, 44 (5.1%) and 121 (14.0%) patients showed early and late recurrence, respectively. Multivariate analysis on association with postoperative relapse among the EGFR-mutant subgroup showed that age, pathologic N and TNM stages, pleural invasion status, and surgery type were independent significant factors. Conclusion Among the population that underwent complete resection for early NSCLC with EGFR mutation, patients with advanced stage, pleural invasion, or limited resection are more likely to show postoperative relapse.

Purpose: Since 1995, the Korean Gastric Cancer Association (KGCA) has been periodically conducting nationwide surveys on patients with surgically treated gastric cancer. This study details the results of the survey conducted in 2023. Materials and Methods: The survey was conducted from March to December 2024 using a standardized case report form. Data were collected on 86 items, including patient demographics, tumor characteristics, surgical procedures, and surgical outcomes. The results of the 2023 survey were compared with those of previous surveys. Results: Data from 12,751 cases were collected from 66 institutions. The mean patient age was 64.6 years, and the proportion of patients aged ≥71 years increased from 9.1% in 1995 to 31.7% in 2023. The proportion of upper-third tumors slightly decreased to 16.8% compared to 20.9% in 2019. Early gastric cancer accounted for 63.1% of cases in 2023.Regarding operative procedures, a totally laparoscopic approach was most frequently applied (63.2%) in 2023, while robotic gastrectomy steadily increased to 9.5% from 2.1% in 2014.The most common anastomotic method was the Billroth II procedure (48.8%) after distal gastrectomy and double-tract reconstruction (51.9%) after proximal gastrectomy in 2023.However, the proportion of esophago-gastrostomy with anti-reflux procedures increased to 30.9%. The rates of post-operative mortality and overall complications were 1.0% and 15.3%, respectively. Conclusions The results of the 2023 nationwide survey demonstrate the current status of gastric cancer treatment in Korea. This information will provide a basis for future gastric cancer research.

Background: To investigate the feasibility of the antegrade supraspinatus advancement (ASSA), which could be executed entirely arthroscopically without requiring a medial incision; to evaluate the impact of the ASSA on the lateral excursion of the torn end of the supraspinatus in retracted irreducible rotator cuff tears (RIRCTs); and to assess the safety and efficacy of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with the ASSA. Methods: A total of 57 patients with RIRCTs who underwent the ASSA and were followed up for at least a year with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were included. The RIRCT was defined as the lateral excursion grade C (coverage less than the medial half of the greater tuberosity) or D (exposure of the glenohumeral joint). Clinical outcomes assessed nerve injury, pain, range of motion, strength, functional scores, and overall satisfaction and function. Structural outcomes evaluated the retear rate, fatty infiltration, and muscle atrophy of the rotator cuff muscles. The baseline for these structural measurements was time-zero MRIs. Results: The ASSA was feasibly performed all arthroscopically without a medial incision. There was no suprascapular nerve injury during the follow-up. The ASSA increased lateral excursion of the torn end in 86% of the patients from C or D to A or B. The ASSA significantly reduced pain and improved function of the shoulder at the final follow-up. All 11 patients who had had pseudoparalysis prior to repair regained the ability to raise their arm. The retear rate after the ASSA was 18.4%. Conclusions This study demonstrated that the ASSA can be safely and effectively performed all arthroscopically, significantly increasing the lateral excursion of the supraspinatus, thereby ensuring successful rotator cuff repair. This leads to a superior quality of repair, which consequently results in better clinical and structural outcomes, including the reversal of pseudoparalysis.

Purpose: Recent development in perioperative treatment of resectable non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have changed the landscape of early lung cancer management. The ADAURA trial has demonstrated the efficacy of adjuvant osimertinib treatment in resectable NSCLC patients; however, studies are required to show which subgroup of patients are at a high risk of relapse and require adjuvant epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment. This study evaluated risk factors for postoperative relapse among patients who underwent complete resection. Materials and Methods: Data were obtained from the Korean Association for Lung Cancer Registry (KALC-R), a database created using a retrospective sampling survey by the Korean Central Cancer Registry (KCCR) and the Lung Cancer Registration Committee. Results: A total of 3,176 patients who underwent curative resection was evaluated. The mean observation time was approximately 35.4 months. Among stage I to IIIA NSCLC patients, the EGFR-mutant subgroup included 867 patients, and 75.2%, 11.2%, and 11.8% were classified as stage I, stage II, and stage III, respectively. Within the EGFR-mutant subgroup, 44 (5.1%) and 121 (14.0%) patients showed early and late recurrence, respectively. Multivariate analysis on association with postoperative relapse among the EGFR-mutant subgroup showed that age, pathologic N and TNM stages, pleural invasion status, and surgery type were independent significant factors. Conclusion Among the population that underwent complete resection for early NSCLC with EGFR mutation, patients with advanced stage, pleural invasion, or limited resection are more likely to show postoperative relapse.