Purpose: This study evaluated the clinical outcomes and prognostic factors in patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC) and locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) treated with upfront FOLFIRINOX followed by local-regional therapy (LRT), surgical resection (SR), and radiotherapy (RT). We aimed to identify specific patient subgroups for which RT may serve as a reasonable alternative to SR for local tumor control. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 116 patients (SR group, n= 70; RT group, n= 46) at a single center between 2015 and 2020. Survival outcomes were compared based on LRT modalities, focusing on identifying subgroups in which RT provided an efficacy comparable to that of SR. Results: Among 116 patients, the SR group achieved a significantly higher 5-year overall survival (OS) than the RT group (27.1% vs. 8.7%, P< 0.0001), despite similar progression-free survival (P= 0.23). Significant prognostic factors for OS included carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) response in BRPC (P= 0.02) and radiologic partial response in LAPC (P= 0.05). Subgroup analysis revealed that, while SR provided a survival advantage in CA19-9 responders, no significant difference in OS was observed between SR and RT in CA19-9 non-responders (P= 0.37). Conclusion Although surgery remains the gold standard, RT may be considered a justifiable local alternative for CA19-9 non-responders and surgically ineligible patients with LAPC, yielding comparable outcomes in these specific, biologically unfavorable subgroups.

Background: We investigated whether nutritional intake is associated with physical activity (PA) and handgrip strength (HGS) in individuals with airflow limitation. Methods: This study analyzed data from the 2014 and 2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We assessed total protein intake (g/day), caloric intake (kcal/day), and other nutritional intakes, using a 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire. HGS was measured three times for each hand using a digital grip strength dynamometer, and PA was assessed as health-enhancing PA. Airflow limitation was defined as a forced expiratory volume/forced vital capacity ratio of 0.7 in individuals over 40 years of age. Participants were categorized into groups based on their PA levels and HGS measurements: active aerobic PA vs. non-active aerobic PA, and normal HGS vs. low HGS. Results: Among the 622 individuals with airflow limitation, those involved in active aerobic PA and those with higher HGS had notably higher total food, calorie, water, protein, and lipid intake. The correlations between protein and caloric intake with HGS were strong (correlation coefficients=0.344 and 0.346, respectively). The forest plots show that higher intakes of food, water, calories, protein, and lipids are positively associated with active aerobic PA, while higher intakes of these nutrients are inversely associated with low HGS. However, in the multivariate logistic regression analysis, no significant associations were observed between nutritional intake and active aerobic PA or HGS. Conclusion Nutritional intake was found to not be an independent factor associated with PA and HGS. However, the observed correlations suggest potential indirect effects that warrant further investigation.

Background: We investigated whether nutritional intake is associated with physical activity (PA) and handgrip strength (HGS) in individuals with airflow limitation. Methods: This study analyzed data from the 2014 and 2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We assessed total protein intake (g/day), caloric intake (kcal/day), and other nutritional intakes, using a 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire. HGS was measured three times for each hand using a digital grip strength dynamometer, and PA was assessed as health-enhancing PA. Airflow limitation was defined as a forced expiratory volume/forced vital capacity ratio of 0.7 in individuals over 40 years of age. Participants were categorized into groups based on their PA levels and HGS measurements: active aerobic PA vs. non-active aerobic PA, and normal HGS vs. low HGS. Results: Among the 622 individuals with airflow limitation, those involved in active aerobic PA and those with higher HGS had notably higher total food, calorie, water, protein, and lipid intake. The correlations between protein and caloric intake with HGS were strong (correlation coefficients=0.344 and 0.346, respectively). The forest plots show that higher intakes of food, water, calories, protein, and lipids are positively associated with active aerobic PA, while higher intakes of these nutrients are inversely associated with low HGS. However, in the multivariate logistic regression analysis, no significant associations were observed between nutritional intake and active aerobic PA or HGS. Conclusion Nutritional intake was found to not be an independent factor associated with PA and HGS. However, the observed correlations suggest potential indirect effects that warrant further investigation.

Background: We investigated whether nutritional intake is associated with physical activity (PA) and handgrip strength (HGS) in individuals with airflow limitation. Methods: This study analyzed data from the 2014 and 2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We assessed total protein intake (g/day), caloric intake (kcal/day), and other nutritional intakes, using a 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire. HGS was measured three times for each hand using a digital grip strength dynamometer, and PA was assessed as health-enhancing PA. Airflow limitation was defined as a forced expiratory volume/forced vital capacity ratio of 0.7 in individuals over 40 years of age. Participants were categorized into groups based on their PA levels and HGS measurements: active aerobic PA vs. non-active aerobic PA, and normal HGS vs. low HGS. Results: Among the 622 individuals with airflow limitation, those involved in active aerobic PA and those with higher HGS had notably higher total food, calorie, water, protein, and lipid intake. The correlations between protein and caloric intake with HGS were strong (correlation coefficients=0.344 and 0.346, respectively). The forest plots show that higher intakes of food, water, calories, protein, and lipids are positively associated with active aerobic PA, while higher intakes of these nutrients are inversely associated with low HGS. However, in the multivariate logistic regression analysis, no significant associations were observed between nutritional intake and active aerobic PA or HGS. Conclusion Nutritional intake was found to not be an independent factor associated with PA and HGS. However, the observed correlations suggest potential indirect effects that warrant further investigation.

Background: We investigated whether nutritional intake is associated with physical activity (PA) and handgrip strength (HGS) in individuals with airflow limitation. Methods: This study analyzed data from the 2014 and 2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We assessed total protein intake (g/day), caloric intake (kcal/day), and other nutritional intakes, using a 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire. HGS was measured three times for each hand using a digital grip strength dynamometer, and PA was assessed as health-enhancing PA. Airflow limitation was defined as a forced expiratory volume/forced vital capacity ratio of 0.7 in individuals over 40 years of age. Participants were categorized into groups based on their PA levels and HGS measurements: active aerobic PA vs. non-active aerobic PA, and normal HGS vs. low HGS. Results: Among the 622 individuals with airflow limitation, those involved in active aerobic PA and those with higher HGS had notably higher total food, calorie, water, protein, and lipid intake. The correlations between protein and caloric intake with HGS were strong (correlation coefficients=0.344 and 0.346, respectively). The forest plots show that higher intakes of food, water, calories, protein, and lipids are positively associated with active aerobic PA, while higher intakes of these nutrients are inversely associated with low HGS. However, in the multivariate logistic regression analysis, no significant associations were observed between nutritional intake and active aerobic PA or HGS. Conclusion Nutritional intake was found to not be an independent factor associated with PA and HGS. However, the observed correlations suggest potential indirect effects that warrant further investigation.

Background: We investigated whether nutritional intake is associated with physical activity (PA) and handgrip strength (HGS) in individuals with airflow limitation. Methods: This study analyzed data from the 2014 and 2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We assessed total protein intake (g/day), caloric intake (kcal/day), and other nutritional intakes, using a 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire. HGS was measured three times for each hand using a digital grip strength dynamometer, and PA was assessed as health-enhancing PA. Airflow limitation was defined as a forced expiratory volume/forced vital capacity ratio of 0.7 in individuals over 40 years of age. Participants were categorized into groups based on their PA levels and HGS measurements: active aerobic PA vs. non-active aerobic PA, and normal HGS vs. low HGS. Results: Among the 622 individuals with airflow limitation, those involved in active aerobic PA and those with higher HGS had notably higher total food, calorie, water, protein, and lipid intake. The correlations between protein and caloric intake with HGS were strong (correlation coefficients=0.344 and 0.346, respectively). The forest plots show that higher intakes of food, water, calories, protein, and lipids are positively associated with active aerobic PA, while higher intakes of these nutrients are inversely associated with low HGS. However, in the multivariate logistic regression analysis, no significant associations were observed between nutritional intake and active aerobic PA or HGS. Conclusion Nutritional intake was found to not be an independent factor associated with PA and HGS. However, the observed correlations suggest potential indirect effects that warrant further investigation.

Background/Aims: Cholangiocarcinoma frequently recurs even after curative resection. Expression levels of proteins such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), Snail, epithelial cadherin (E-cadherin), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) examined by immunohistochemistry have been studied as potential prognostic factors for cholangiocarcinoma. The aim of this study was to investigate significant factors affecting the prognosis of resectable cholangiocarcinoma. Methods: Ninety-one patients who underwent surgical resection at Samsung Medical Center for cholangiocarcinoma from 1995 to 2013 were included in this study. Expression levels of Ecadherin, Snail, IL-6, membranous EGFR, and cytoplasmic EGFR were analyzed by immunohistochemistry using tissue microarray blocks made from surgical specimens. Results: Patients with high levels of membranous EGFR in tissue microarrays had significantly shorter overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS): high membranous EGFR (score 0–2) 38.0 months versus low membranous EGFR (score 3) 14.4 months (p=0.008) and high membranous EGFR (score 0–2) 23.2 months versus low membranous EGFR (score 3) 6.1 months (p=0.004), respectively. On the other hand, E-cadherin, Snail, cytoplasmic EGFR, and IL-6 did not show significant association with OS or DFS. Patients with distant metastasis had significantly higher IL-6 levels than those with locoregional recurrence (p=0.01). Conclusions This study showed that overexpression of membranous EGFR was significantly associated with shorter OS and DFS in surgically resected bile duct cancer patients. In addition, higher IL-6 expression was a predictive marker for recurrence in cholangiocarcinoma patients with distant organ metastasis after surgical resection.

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate whether alcohol consumption might affect the quality of life (QOL), depressive mood, and metabolic syndrome in patients with obstructive lung disease (OLD). Methods: Data were obtained from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2014 and 2016. OLD was defined as spirometry of forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity <0.7 in those aged more than 40 years. QOL was evaluated using the European Quality of Life Questionnaire-5D (EQ-5D) index. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to assess the severity of depressive mood. Alcohol consumption was based on a history of alcohol ingestion during the previous month. Results: A total of 984 participants with OLD (695 males, 289 females, age 65.8±9.7 years) were enrolled. The EQ-5D index was significantly higher in alcohol drinkers (n=525) than in non-alcohol drinkers (n=459) (0.94±0.11 vs. 0.91±0.13, p=0.002). PHQ- 9 scores were considerably lower in alcohol drinkers than in non-alcohol drinkers (2.15±3.57 vs. 2.78±4.13, p=0.013). However, multiple logistic regression analysis showed that alcohol consumption was not associated with EQ-5D index or PHQ-9 score. Body mass index ≥25 kg/m2, triglyceride ≥150 mg/dL, high-density lipoprotein <40 mg/dL in men and <50 mg/dL in women, and blood pressure ≥130/85 mm Hg were significantly more common in alcohol drinkers than in non-alcohol drinkers (all p<0.05). Conclusion Alcohol consumption did not change the QOL or depressive mood of OLD patients. However, metabolic syndrome-related factors were more common in alcohol drinkers than in non-alcohol drinkers.

Background: Recently, CrpP enzymes have been described as a novel cause of ciprofloxacin resistance. The crpP gene encodes a novel protein that specifically confers resistance to ciprofloxacin through an adenosine triphosphate-dependent mechanism that phosphorylates the antimicrobial. In this study, the current prevalence of the crpP gene in carbapenemaseproducing Pseudomonas aeruginosa blood isolates was evaluated. Methods: During the study of the Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System in Korea, 22 blood isolates of carbapenemase-producing P. aeruginosa were collected from nine general hospitals and two nursing homes in the year 2020. Resistance genes and phylogenic trees were analyzed with the whole genome sequencing data. Results: A total of 11 P. aeruginosa blood isolates coharbored the crpP and carbapenemase genes (nine IMP-6 producers and two GES-5-producers). Nine NDM-1-producers coharbored aac(6')-Ib-cr and qnrVC1 . One GES-9-producer also carried aac(6')-Ib-cr, and one NDM-1-producer also carried qnrVC1. The phylogenic tree showed no epidemiologic link among the 22 carbapenemase-producing P. aeruginosa isolates. Conclusion This is the first report on the current prevalence of the crpP gene in carbapenemaseproducing P. aeruginosa blood isolates in Korea.

Background/Aims: As pancreatic mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCNs) are considered premalignant lesions, the current guidelines recommend their surgical resection. We aimed to investigate the concordance between preoperative and postoperative diagnoses and evaluate preoperative clinical parameters that could predict the malignant potential of MCNs. Methods: Patients who underwent surgical resection at Samsung Medical Center for pancreatic cystic lesions and whose pathology was confirmed to be MCN, between July 2000 and December 2017, were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Among a total of 132 patients 99 (75%) were diagnosed with MCN preoperatively. The most discordant preoperative diagnosis was an indeterminate pancreatic cyst. The proportion of male patients was higher (24.2% vs 7.1%, p=0.05) in the diagnosis-discordance group and the presence of worrisome features in radiologic imaging studies, such as wall thickening/enhancement (12.1% vs 37.4%, p=0.02) or solid component/mural nodule (3.0% vs 27.3%, p=0.02), was lower in the diagnosis-discordance group. The presence of symptoms (57.7% vs 34.9%, p=0.02), tumor size greater than 4 cm (80.8% vs 55.7%, p=0.04), and radiologic presence of a solid component/mural nodule (42.3% vs 16.0%, p=0.01) or duct dilatation (19.2% vs 6.6%, p=0.01) were significantly associated with malignant MCNs. Conclusions In our study, the overall diagnostic concordance rate was confirmed to be 75%, and our findings suggest that MCNs have a low malignancy potential when they are less than 4cm in size, are asymptomatic and lack worrisome features on preoperative images.