Purpose: Non-operative management (NOM) has emerged as a promising organ-preserving strategy for patients with rectal cancer who achieve a clinical complete response (cCR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). However, no standardized treatment protocol has been established for watch-and-wait strategies. Materials and Methods: This prospective study evaluated oncological outcomes of NOM combined with 4 months of adjuvant capecitabine. Patients with resectable rectal cancer (≤ 8 cm from the anal verge, cT2-4 or N+) underwent CRT (50-54 Gy in 25-27 fractions with capecitabine). Eight weeks post-CRT, a multidisciplinary team assessed cCR. Patients achieving cCR received six cycles of capecitabine (2 weeks on/1 week off) and were actively monitored. Results: Among 89 patients receiving CRT (2018-2023), 17 (19.1%) achieved cCR and were included. The median age was 65 years, and 64.7% were male. Eleven (64.7%) completed all six cycles of adjuvant therapy. After a median follow-up of 31.4 months, 11 patients (64.7%) remained disease-free. Local regrowth occurred in six patients (35.3%) with 2- and 4-year rates of 34.5% and 47.6%, respectively. Five underwent radical surgery, and one received transanal excision with systemic chemotherapy. At the time of assessment, 15 patients (88.2%) showed no evidence of disease, while two (11.8%) received palliative chemotherapy. All patients were alive. Conclusion NOM with adjuvant capecitabine showed promising oncological outcomes, offering an alternative to passive watch-and-wait approaches. Further refinement through multidisciplinary strategies is warranted.

Purpose: Although bladder cancer occurs three to 4 times more frequently in men than in women, the relative number of deaths compared to incidence is higher in women, suggesting that women have a worse prognosis than men. Emerging evidence indicates that the activity of the sex steroid hormone pathway may play a role in bladder cancer development, with demonstrations that both androgens and estrogens have biological effects on bladder cancer in vitro and in vivo. This study investigates the influence of sex and menopausal status on recurrence and cancer-specific death (CSD) in bladder cancer patients undergoing radical cystectomy (RC). Materials and Methods: This retrospective analysis included 3,913 patients from the Korean Bladder Cancer Study Group Database who underwent RC between 2010 and 2019. Patients were categorized based on gender and menopausal status (≤50 years: premenopausal; >50 years: postmenopausal). Pathological factors, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, recurrence, and CSD rates were analyzed using chi-square and Fisher exact tests. Results: Among the 3,913 patients, 400 (10.2%) were female. Premenopausal females exhibited significantly lower recurrence rates (28.6%) compared to postmenopausal females (45.7%). CSD rates were similarly reduced in premenopausal females (12.0% vs. 22.2% in postmenopausal females). No significant sex differences in recurrence or CSD were observed among premenopausal patients. Pathological T stage, nodal status, and lymphovascular invasion were significantly associated with recurrence in males, while nodal status alone was significant in females. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was significantly more frequently administered to male patients under the age of 50, while no difference was observed in the administration of neoadjuvant chemotherapy among female patients based on menopausal status. Conclusion Hormonal changes associated with menopause significantly influence bladder cancer outcomes in women. Premenopausal hormonal environments seem protective, underscoring the need for further research into hormone-driven mechanisms in bladder cancer.

Purpose: This study evaluates the viability of a new method that employs transperineal targeted biopsy with frozen section analysis immediately followed by robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), bypassing the traditional systematic biopsy deemed essential by current guidelines. Materials and Methods: Patient selection was based on the following inclusion criteria: those who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-ultrasound fusion-targeted biopsy with frozen section analysis and concurrent RARP. Eligibility also required features indicative of Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) 5 lesion on multiparametric MRI, along with one of these additional criteria: (1) MRI evidence suggesting extracapsular extension (ECE) with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level >10 ng/mL, or (2) a PSA level > 20 ng/mL. Results: Twelve patients were enrolled in this study according to inclusion criteria. The median age (interquartile range) was 73.5 (69.5–75.3) years and PSA was 22.9 (17.0–29.9) ng/mL. Three patients had PI-RADS 5 lesions, and 9 had PI-RADS 5 lesions with findings of ECE. In all cases, the diagnosis based on frozen sections confirmed adenocarcinoma. Following confirmation, each patient underwent immediate RARP. According to the final pathology report, 2 patients had International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade 2 disease, 7 patients had ISUP grade 3, 1 had ISUP grade 4, and 2 had ISUP grade 5 disease. Four patients had stage pT2 disease, 3 had stage pT3a, and 5 had stage pT3b. The median immediate reporting time of the target biopsy frozen section was 20 (19.3–24.5) minutes. No perioperative complications related to target biopsy were observed. Conclusion For patients with a strong suspicion of prostate cancer and a PI-RADS 5 lesion, integrating simultaneous prostate frozen target biopsy with radical prostatectomy may offer a feasible treatment alternative, obviating the necessity for a preoperative systematic biopsy.

Purpose: This study evaluates the viability of a new method that employs transperineal targeted biopsy with frozen section analysis immediately followed by robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), bypassing the traditional systematic biopsy deemed essential by current guidelines. Materials and Methods: Patient selection was based on the following inclusion criteria: those who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-ultrasound fusion-targeted biopsy with frozen section analysis and concurrent RARP. Eligibility also required features indicative of Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) 5 lesion on multiparametric MRI, along with one of these additional criteria: (1) MRI evidence suggesting extracapsular extension (ECE) with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level >10 ng/mL, or (2) a PSA level > 20 ng/mL. Results: Twelve patients were enrolled in this study according to inclusion criteria. The median age (interquartile range) was 73.5 (69.5–75.3) years and PSA was 22.9 (17.0–29.9) ng/mL. Three patients had PI-RADS 5 lesions, and 9 had PI-RADS 5 lesions with findings of ECE. In all cases, the diagnosis based on frozen sections confirmed adenocarcinoma. Following confirmation, each patient underwent immediate RARP. According to the final pathology report, 2 patients had International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade 2 disease, 7 patients had ISUP grade 3, 1 had ISUP grade 4, and 2 had ISUP grade 5 disease. Four patients had stage pT2 disease, 3 had stage pT3a, and 5 had stage pT3b. The median immediate reporting time of the target biopsy frozen section was 20 (19.3–24.5) minutes. No perioperative complications related to target biopsy were observed. Conclusion For patients with a strong suspicion of prostate cancer and a PI-RADS 5 lesion, integrating simultaneous prostate frozen target biopsy with radical prostatectomy may offer a feasible treatment alternative, obviating the necessity for a preoperative systematic biopsy.

Purpose: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is considered a microvascular disorder and serves as an indicator for the potential development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) reflects early myocardial damage caused by microvascular disorders, the association between ED and LVDD remains poorly elucidated. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 123 patients with ED. They underwent RigiScan, and conventional echocardiography, and attempted International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire. ED severity was evaluated by measuring changes in the penile base circumference and duration of penile rigidity (≥70%) during erection. The early diastolic velocity of mitral inflow (E) and early diastolic velocity of the mitral annulus (e′) were measured using echocardiography. The patients were grouped based on the presence of CVD. Results: Among 123 patients, 29 had CVD and 94 did not. Patients with CVD exhibited more pronounced ED and more severe LVDD. Associations between increased penile circumference with echocardiographic parameters were more prominent in patients with CVD than in those without CVD (ΔTtop and e′ wave, r=0.508 and r=0.282, respectively, p for interaction=0.033; ΔTbase and E/e′ ratio, r=-0.338 and r=-0.293, respectively, p for interaction <0.001). In the multivariate linear regression, the increase of penile base circumference was an independent risk factor for LVDD (e′, B=0.503; E/e′ ratio, B=-1.416, respectively, p<0.001). Conclusions ED severity correlated well with LV diastolic dysfunction, particularly in the presence of CVD. This study highlighted the potential role of ED assessment as early indicator of CVD development.

Purpose: This study evaluates the viability of a new method that employs transperineal targeted biopsy with frozen section analysis immediately followed by robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), bypassing the traditional systematic biopsy deemed essential by current guidelines. Materials and Methods: Patient selection was based on the following inclusion criteria: those who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-ultrasound fusion-targeted biopsy with frozen section analysis and concurrent RARP. Eligibility also required features indicative of Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) 5 lesion on multiparametric MRI, along with one of these additional criteria: (1) MRI evidence suggesting extracapsular extension (ECE) with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level >10 ng/mL, or (2) a PSA level > 20 ng/mL. Results: Twelve patients were enrolled in this study according to inclusion criteria. The median age (interquartile range) was 73.5 (69.5–75.3) years and PSA was 22.9 (17.0–29.9) ng/mL. Three patients had PI-RADS 5 lesions, and 9 had PI-RADS 5 lesions with findings of ECE. In all cases, the diagnosis based on frozen sections confirmed adenocarcinoma. Following confirmation, each patient underwent immediate RARP. According to the final pathology report, 2 patients had International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade 2 disease, 7 patients had ISUP grade 3, 1 had ISUP grade 4, and 2 had ISUP grade 5 disease. Four patients had stage pT2 disease, 3 had stage pT3a, and 5 had stage pT3b. The median immediate reporting time of the target biopsy frozen section was 20 (19.3–24.5) minutes. No perioperative complications related to target biopsy were observed. Conclusion For patients with a strong suspicion of prostate cancer and a PI-RADS 5 lesion, integrating simultaneous prostate frozen target biopsy with radical prostatectomy may offer a feasible treatment alternative, obviating the necessity for a preoperative systematic biopsy.

Background: It is well known that a large number of patients with diabetes also have dyslipidemia, which significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination drugs consisting of metformin and atorvastatin, widely used as therapeutic agents for diabetes and dyslipidemia. Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group and phase III multicenter study included adults with glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels >7.0% and <10.0%, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) >100 and <250 mg/dL. One hundred eighty-five eligible subjects were randomized to the combination group (metformin+atorvastatin), metformin group (metformin+atorvastatin placebo), and atorvastatin group (atorvastatin+metformin placebo). The primary efficacy endpoints were the percent changes in HbA1c and LDL-C levels from baseline at the end of the treatment. Results: After 16 weeks of treatment compared to baseline, HbA1c showed a significant difference of 0.94% compared to the atorvastatin group in the combination group (0.35% vs. −0.58%, respectively; P<0.0001), whereas the proportion of patients with increased HbA1c was also 62% and 15%, respectively, showing a significant difference (P<0.001). The combination group also showed a significant decrease in LDL-C levels compared to the metformin group (−55.20% vs. −7.69%, P<0.001) without previously unknown adverse drug events. Conclusion The addition of atorvastatin to metformin improved HbA1c and LDL-C levels to a significant extent compared to metformin or atorvastatin alone in diabetes and dyslipidemia patients. This study also suggested metformin’s preventive effect on the glucose-elevating potential of atorvastatin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia, insufficiently controlled with exercise and diet. Metformin and atorvastatin combination might be an effective treatment in reducing the CVD risk in patients with both diabetes and dyslipidemia because of its lowering effect on LDL-C and glucose.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability and prognostic significance of the high-risk feature (HRF) in patients with T3N0 colon cancer. Methods: We included 1,205 patients with pT3N0 colon cancer treated with curative radical resection between 2012 and 2016. HRF was defined as lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, poorly/undifferentiated histology, margin involvement, and preoperative obstruction. We investigated the relationships between the number and type of HRF and recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS), as well as the effect of adjuvant treatment. Results: A total of 751 of the patients (62.3%) had more than 1 HRF and 515 of the patients (42.7%) underwent adjuvant treatment. Patients who had more than 2 HRFs had a significantly worse 5-year RFS and OS compared to patients who had neither HRF nor even one HRF. According to the findings of the multivariate analysis, the presence of multiple HRFs was a risk factor for a lower RFS and OS. When the quantity and type of HRF were taken into consideration in the multivariate analysis, adjuvant chemotherapy was not found to be linked with RFS or OS in patients with pT3N0 colon cancer. Conclusion In the present study, adjuvant treatment based on the current guideline of treatment indication was unable to enhance the prognosis of patients with pT3N0 colon cancer. The role of adjuvant treatment in T3N0 colon cancer must be examined with the HRF count in mind.

Purpose: This multi-center, retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the long-term survival in patients who underwent surgical resection for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and to identify the benefit of adjuvant therapy following surgery. Materials and Methods: The data of 213 patients who underwent surgical resection for SCLC at four institutions were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who received neoadjuvant therapy or an incomplete resection were excluded. Results: The mean patient age was 65.29±8.93 years, and 184 patients (86.4%) were male. Lobectomies and pneumonectomies were performed in 173 patients (81.2%), and 198 (93%) underwent systematic mediastinal lymph node dissections. Overall, 170 patients (79.8%) underwent adjuvant chemotherapy, 42 (19.7%) underwent radiotherapy to the mediastinum, and 23 (10.8%) underwent prophylactic cranial irradiation. The median follow-up period was 31.08 months (interquartile range, 13.79 to 64.52 months). The 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival were 53.4% and 46.9%, respectively. The 5-year OS significantly improved after adjuvant chemotherapy in all patients (57.4% vs. 40.3%, p=0.007), and the survival benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy was significant in patients with negative node pathology (70.8% vs. 39.7%, p=0.004). Adjuvant radiotherapy did not affect the 5-year OS (54.6% vs. 48.5%, p=0.458). Age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.032; p=0.017), node metastasis (HR, 2.190; p < 0.001), and adjuvant chemotherapy (HR, 0.558; p=0.019) were associated with OS. Conclusion Adjuvant chemotherapy after surgical resection in patients with SCLC improved the OS, though adjuvant radiotherapy to the mediastinum did not improve the survival or decrease the locoregional recurrence rate.

This paper reports a 70-year-old female with gastric extranodal marginal zone B cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (gastric MALT lymphoma) as a rare case of gastric outlet obstruction. Five years earlier, she initially presented with weight loss and anemia. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) revealed multiple gastric and duodenal ulcers with a pyloric deformity, while histology revealed chronic active inflammation and a Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Three years earlier, she underwent EGD per the National Cancer Screening Program and was diagnosed with antral and duodenal ulcers. A forceps biopsy specimen from one of the ulcers showed the findings of gastric MALT lymphoma, but she did not visit the hospital for proper management. She visited complaining of a loss of appetite. EGD revealed a gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) caused by antral deformity and pyloric narrowing. A staged workup with CT and PET revealed full-layered, encircling antral wall thickening and several enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes. She was finally diagnosed with a gastric MALT lymphoma at Ann Arbor stage I1E with translocation t(11;18). She was treated with palliative surgery for GOO and systemic chemotherapy with a CHOP regimen. This paper reports a gastric MALT lymphoma that progressed from superficial mucosal lesions to an overt mass with regional lymph node metastasis for five years. (Korean J Gastroenterol 2023;81:265 -269)