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.

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.

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: Atherogenic dyslipidemia, which is frequently associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and insulin resistance, contributes to the development of vascular complications. Statin therapy is the primary approach to dyslipidemia management in T2D, however, the role of non-statin therapy remains unclear. Ezetimibe reduces cholesterol burden by inhibiting intestinal cholesterol absorption. Fibrates lower triglyceride levels and increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels via peroxisome proliferator- activated receptor alpha agonism. Therefore, when combined, these drugs effectively lower non-HDL-C levels. Despite this, few clinical trials have specifically targeted non-HDL-C, and the efficacy of triple combination therapies, including statins, ezetimibe, and fibrates, has yet to be determined. Methods: This is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label, active-comparator controlled trial involving 3,958 eligible participants with T2D, cardiovascular risk factors, and elevated non-HDL-C (≥100 mg/dL). Participants, already on moderate-intensity statins, will be randomly assigned to either Ezefeno (ezetimibe/fenofibrate) addition or statin dose-escalation. The primary end point is the development of a composite of major adverse cardiovascular and diabetic microvascular events over 48 months. Conclusion This trial aims to assess whether combining statins, ezetimibe, and fenofibrate is as effective as, or possibly superior to, statin monotherapy intensification in lowering cardiovascular and microvascular disease risk for patients with T2D. This could propose a novel therapeutic approach for managing dyslipidemia in T2D.

Background: Bronchiectasis is a chronic respiratory disease that leads to airway inflammation, destruction, and airflow limitation, which reflects its severity. Impulse oscillometry (IOS) is a non-invasive method that uses sound waves to estimate lung function and airway resistance. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of IOS in predicting the severity of bronchiectasis. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the IOS parameters and clinical characteristics in 145 patients diagnosed with bronchiectasis between March 2020 and May 2021. Disease severity was evaluated using the FACED score, and patients were divided into mild and moderate/severe groups. Results: Forty-four patients (30.3%) were in the moderate/severe group, and 101 (69.7%) were in the mild group. Patients with moderate/severe bronchiectasis had a higher airway resistance at 5 Hz (R5), a higher difference between the resistance at 5 and 20 Hz (R5−R20), a higher resonant frequency (Fres), and a higher area of reactance (AX) than patients with mild bronchiectasis. R5 ≥0.43, resistance at 20 Hz (R20) ≥0.234, R5−R20 ≥28.3, AX ≥1.02, reactance at 5 Hz (X5) ≤−0.238, and Fres ≥20.88 revealed significant univariable relationships with bronchiectasis severity (p<0.05). Among these, only X5 ≤−0.238 exhibited a significant multivariable relationship with bronchiectasis severity (p=0.039). The receiver operating characteristic curve for predicting moderate- to-severe bronchiectasis of FACED score based on IOS parameters exhibited an area under the curve of 0.809. Conclusion The IOS assessed by the disease severity of FACED score can effectively reflect airway resistance and elasticity in bronchiectasis patients and serve as valuable tools for predicting bronchiectasis severity.

Background: Ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1), which encodes thiol protease that hydrolyzes a peptide bond at the C-terminal glycine residue of ubiquitin, regulates cell differentiation, proliferation, transcriptional regulation, and numerous other biological processes and may be involved in lung cancer progression. UCHL1 is mainly expressed in the brain and plays a tumor-promoting role in a few cancer types; however, there are limited reports regarding its role in lung cancer. Methods: Single-cell RNA (scRNA) sequencing using 10X chromium v3 was performed on a paired normal-appearing and tumor tissue from surgical specimens of a patient who showed unusually rapid progression. To validate clinical implication of the identified biomarkers, immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis was performed on 48 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissue specimens, and the correlation with clinical parameters was evaluated. Results: We identified 500 genes overexpressed in tumor tissue compared to those in normal tissue. Among them, UCHL1, brain expressed X-linked 3 (BEX3), and midkine (MDK), which are associated with tumor growth and progression, exhibited a 1.5-fold increase in expression compared to that in normal tissue. IHC analysis of NSCLC tissues showed that only UCHL1 was specifically overexpressed. Additionally, in 48 NSCLC specimens, UCHL1 was specifically upregulated in the cytoplasm and nuclear membrane of tumor cells. Multivariable logistic analysis identified several factors, including smoking, tumor size, and high-grade dysplasia, to be typically associated with UCHL1 overexpression. Survival analyses using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets revealed that UCHL1 overexpression is substantially associated with poor survival outcomes. Furthermore, a strong association was observed between UCHL1 expression and the clinicopathological features of patients with NSCLC. Conclusion UCHL1 overexpression was associated with smoking, tumor size, and high-grade dysplasia, which are typically associated with a poor prognosis and survival outcome. These findings suggest that UCHL1 may serve as an effective biomarker of NSCLC.

Purpose: This phase II, open-label, multicenter study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of a rituximab intensification for the 1st cycle with every 21-day of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (R-CHOP-21) among patients with previously untreated advanced-stage or bulky diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Materials and Methods: Ninety-two patients with stage III/IV or bulky DLBCL from 21 institutions were administered 8 cycles of R-CHOP-21 with an additional one dose of rituximab intensification on day 0 of the 1st cycle (RR-CHOP). The primary endpoint was a complete response (CR) rate after 3 cycles of chemotherapy. Results: Among the 92 DLBCL patients assessed herein, the response rate after 3 cycles of chemotherapy was 88.0% (38.0% CR+50.0% partial response [PR]). After the completion of 8 cycles of chemotherapy, the overall response rate was observed for 68.4% (58.7% CR+9.8% PR). The 3-year progression-free survival rate was 64.0%, and the 3-year overall survival rate was 70.4%. Febrile neutropenia was one of the most frequent grade 3 adverse events (40.0%) and 5 treatment-related deaths occurred. Compared with the clinical outcomes of patients who received R-CHOP chemotherapy as a historical control, the interim CR rate was higher in male patients with RR-CHOP (20.5% vs. 48.8%, p=0.016). Conclusion Rituximab intensification on days 0 to the 1st cycle of the standard 8 cycles R-CHOP-21 for advanced DLBCL yielded favorable response rates after the 3 cycles of chemotherapy and acceptable toxicities, especially for male patients. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT01054781.