A unified consensus statement on medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) has not yet been established among the Asian member countries or regions of the Asian Federation of Osteoporosis Societies (AFOS). This study aimed to develop a consensus on MRONJ in patients with osteoporosis across these countries and regions. In this study, the term “Asia-Pacific” refers specifically to the Asian member countries and regions of AFOS. A structured survey consisting of nine MRONJ-related questions was distributed across 10 countries and regions to assess the level of agreement and summarize regional perspectives. In addition, a manual literature review and voting were conducted to evaluate the current evidence on MRONJ. The key aspects of MRONJ, including definition, staging, diagnosis, pathogenesis, risk factors, management, and prevention, were generally consistent among the AFOS countries and regions. The annual incidence and incidence rate of MRONJ associated with low-dose antiresorptive therapy in patients with osteoporosis ranged from 0.025% to 0.136% and 21 to 283 cases per 100,000 person-years, respectively. However, evidence regarding the benefits of drug discontinuation before dental surgery, such as tooth extraction, remains insufficient. Large-scale, multinational studies across AFOS countries and regions are warranted to determine the incidence of MRONJ better and evaluate the impact of antiresorptive drug discontinuation before dental procedures. These findings may contribute to the devel opment of effective evidence-based strategies for preventing MRONJ in patients with osteoporosis.

Purpose: Esophagojejunal anastomotic leakage (EJAL) represents a severe postoperative complication following total or proximal gastrectomy. Treatment strategies include conservative management, endoscopic interventions, and surgery; however, comparative data remain limited. This study aimed to compare clinical outcomes of different strategies to identify the optimal approach based on anastomotic defect size. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study reviewed 100 patients diagnosed with EJAL between January 2015 and October 2024. Patients were categorized into four groups:conservative management, endoscopic vacuum-assisted closure (E-VAC), other endoscopic treatments, and surgery. The primary outcomes were leakage duration and length of hospital stay after EJAL diagnosis, whereas the secondary outcome was time to C-reactive protein normalization. Subgroup analyses were performed according to defect size. Results: Among the 100 patients, 76 were male and 24 were female, with a mean age of 65.7 years. Conservative treatment was the most common modality (53%), followed by other endoscopic treatments (19%), E-VAC (14%), and surgery (14%). In patients with a defect size <1 cm, conservative treatment was associated with significantly shorter leakage duration (P=0.035) and earlier resumption of diet (P=0.029) compared with endoscopic treatment.Among those with defects ≥2 cm, E-VAC demonstrated the most favorable median outcomes across all variables; however, statistical significance was not achieved because of the small sample size. Conclusions Conservative treatment appears to be the most effective treatment strategy for EJAL with anastomotic defects <1 cm. For larger defects (≥2 cm), E-VAC may offer clinical benefit, although further studies are needed to confirm its efficacy. These findings highlight the importance of individualized treatment selection based on defect size.

Purpose: Although human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positivity is prevalent in microinvasive breast cancer (MIBC), data focused on HER2-positive MIBC are limited. We investigated the clinical course and long-term outcomes of HER2-positive MIBC and evaluated the role of adjuvant chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: The study included patients with curatively resected pT1mi pN0 HER2-positive breast cancer between January 2000 and January 2020. Treatments and survival outcomes, including invasive breast cancer-free survival (IBCFS), distant recurrence-free survival (DRFS), and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. Results: The analysis included 799 female patients. The median age was 51 years (range, 23 to 79 years), and 51.6% (n=412) were premenopausal. Multifocality was confirmed in 17.3% (n=138), and estrogen receptor (ER) positivity in 29.8% (n=238). Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 17.5% (n=140), with doxifluridine in 96.4% of cases. One patient (0.1%) received trastuzumab. With a median follow-up of 119.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 114.0 to 127.0), the 8-year IBCFS, DRFS, and OS were 91.2% (95% CI, 89.1 to 93.3), 97.5% (95% CI, 96.4 to 98.7), and 98.8% (95% CI, 98.0 to 99.6), respectively. No significant differences were observed between patients with and without adjuvant chemotherapy. The lack of differences in IBCFS by chemotherapy was consistent across subgroups, including pre-/postmenopausal patients, grade 1-2/3 tumors, and ER-negative disease. Conclusion A clinically meaningful proportion of HER2-positive MIBC patients experience IBCFS events with long-term follow-up. Adjuvant chemotherapy did not improve survival, potentially due to the use of an outdated, ineffective regimen. The role of modern adjuvant regimens, particularly those incorporating HER2-targeted therapy, warrants further exploration.

Background: This study was performed to establish a rabbit model for esophageal surgery in the treatment of cervical esophageal diseases. The necessary steps for postoperative treatment and esophageal examination were detailed. Methods: This study aimed to confirm the feasibility of the surgical procedure in rabbits and develop a postoperative management protocol. Six New Zealand White rabbits underwent esophagectomy and end-to-end anastomosis of the cervical esophagus under general anesthesia. Postoperatively, the rabbits were fed a specially formulated therapeutic liquid diet for 3 to 7 days. Recovery was monitored for 8 weeks, after which the rabbits were euthanized. Esophagography and endoscopy were conducted during the first postoperative week to assess healing. Results: Of the six rabbits that underwent surgery, two died from nonsurgical complications within 7 days after the operation. Of the remaining rabbits, two were diagnosed with esophageal stricture via esophagography and underwent endoscopy after the first postoperative week. The final two rabbits completed the 8-week postoperative period without complications. Conclusions Esophageal surgery and postoperative treatment in rabbits require careful attention. We anticipate that this study will provide valuable and practical information for researchers conducting esophageal studies using rabbits.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by maladaptive epithelial–mesenchymal crosstalk and progressive extracellular matrix accumulation, whereas currently available antifibrotic agents merely decelerate functional decline.This study investigated whether exosomes derived from human mesenchymal stem cells derived from embryonic stem cells (ESC-MSCs) restore epithelial stress responses and attenuate fibrotic remodeling. Human IPF lung transcriptomes were integrated with a bleomycin-induced murine model analyzed by RNA sequencing and protein signaling, together with cigarette smoke extract-induced injury in A549 epithelial cells. ESC-MSCs-derived exosomes exhibited typical morphology and size distribution, enrichment of tetraspanins, and absence of endoplasmic reticulum contamination, consistent with high-purity preparations. Across human IPF and bleomycin-injured lungs, transcriptomic profiling revealed prominent enrichment of extracellular matrix and cytoskeletal gene programs, whereas mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Smad families displayed only modest alterations at the mRNA level. In vivo administration of exosomes during the fibrotic remodeling phase, via either intravenous or intratracheal delivery, resulted in improved body weight, reduced lung weight-to-body weight ratios, and decreased collagen deposition and Ashcroft scores. These structural and functional improvements were accompanied by suppression of profibrotic and mesenchymal markers and selective attenuation of activator protein-1 (AP-1) activity. In epithelial injury models, ESC-MSCs-derived exosomes enhanced cell viability, restored redox homeostasis, and constrained stress-induced mesenchymal gene expression and MAPK phosphorylation in both co-treatment and post-treatment settings. Collectively, these data support an epithelial-centered mechanism in which ESC-MSCs-derived exosomes re-establish oxidative balance and selectively restrict AP-1-driven stress signaling, thereby secondarily limiting extracellular matrix accumulation and fibrotic remodeling.

Purpose: Based on the KEYNOTE-522 study, neoadjuvant pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy has become the standard treatment for early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).This study evaluated the real-world efficacy, safety, and predictors of pathologic complete response (pCR) in Korean patients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 174 patients with early-stage TNBC who received the KEYNOTE-522 regimen (neoadjuvant pembrolizumab plus paclitaxel and carboplatin, followed by doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide) at a tertiary cancer center between August 2022 and July 2024. We assessed the primary endpoints, including pCR rate and event-free survival (EFS). We performed univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses to identify independent predictors of pCR. Results: The median patient age was 50 years (range, 24–74 years). The clinical stages were II and III in 79.3% and 20.1% of patients, respectively, and 10.9% had clinical N3 disease. The overall pCR rate was 62.1%, and the N3 subgroup had a pCR rate of 47.4%. On multivariable analysis, high baseline Ki-67 expression (≥ median, 75%) was significantly associated with pCR (odds ratio, 2.84; 95% confidence interval, 1.45 to 5.66; p = 0.002). At a median followup of 18.4 months, the 12-month EFS rate was 97.4%, with significantly superior outcomes observed in patients who achieved pCR compared with those who did not achieve pCR (100% vs. 93.1%, p = 0.007). The treatment completion rate was 92.0%, and immune-related adverse events occurred in 13.8% of patients. Conclusion In this real-world analysis of one of the largest Asian cohorts of patients with earlystage TNBC treated with neoadjuvant pembrolizumab, the KEYNOTE-522 regimen demonstrated substantial efficacy and manageable toxicity, consistent with the original trial findings.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify factors influencing psychiatric nursing competency among emergency nurses and to examine the mediating role of psychological safety in the relationship between communication self-efficacy and psychiatric nursing competency. Methods: Data were collected from 157 emergency nurses in Korea between November 20 and December 17, 2025, using an online self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, hierarchical multiple regression, and mediation analysis based on Baron and Kenny's approach (IBM SPSS 27.0). Results: The mean score of psychiatric nursing competency was 3.25±0.31. Psychiatric nursing competency was positively correlated with communication selfefficacy and psychological safety, and communication self-efficacy was also positively correlated with psychological safety. Regression analysis showed that psychological safety (β=.43, p<.001), communication self-efficacy (β=.38, p<.001), and psychiatric nursing education experience (β=.21, p<.001) significantly influenced psychiatric nursing competency, explaining 52.6% of the variance. Psychological safety partially mediated the relationship between communication self-efficacy and psychiatric nursing competency. Conclusion Communication self-efficacy enhances psychiatric nursing competency through psychological safety, highlighting the need for integrated individual and organizational strategies.

Vaccines are highly effective, but rare or delayed adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) require post-licensure surveillance beyond clinical trials. Korea lacks a comprehensive, active, database-based framework, yet key assets exist: nationwide claims databases (National Health Insurance Service/Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service), the national immunization registry (Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s Immunization Registry Information System) for National Immunization Program (NIP) and non-NIP vaccines, and increasingly standardized hospital electronic health records.We propose a federated, code to data architecture with data linkages between these data.Implementation should adopt a common data model (CDM), standardized case definitions, latency accounting, and transparent public reporting under strong privacy governance. Major challenges include multi step administrative approvals for data linkage, incomplete capture of adult non-NIP vaccinations, heterogeneous hospital data structures, and strict data protection constraints. Strategic priorities are to streamline statutory and administrative processes for public health use, mandate or enable claims-based capture of adult vaccinations, enhance CDM based interoperability, and develop secure hubs for aggregated outputs. With these measures, Korea will be well positioned to establish a scalable active surveillance system capable of detecting rare AEFIs, supporting transparent and evidence-based communication, and ensuring equitable injury compensation grounded in domestic data.

Endometriosis, a prevalent but debilitating condition affecting women, poses significant challenges in diagnosis and management. The current 2024 guideline, developed by the Korean Society of Endometriosis (KSE), builds upon the 2018 KSE guideline. This guideline aims to provide customized recommendations tailored to Korea’s unique clinical aspects and medical environment, and addresses key areas such as diagnosis, medical and surgical management, considerations for special populations, and its complex relationship with cancer.

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.