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.

Subglottic stenosis (SGS) and tracheal stenosis (TS) are rare conditions that can cause significant breathing difficulties and, if not properly managed, may lead to life-threatening complications. Despite their clinical importance, debate continues regarding the optimal management of adult SGS and TS, and no comprehensive guidelines have been established to date. The Korean Bronchoesophagological Society appointed a task force to develop clinical practice guidelines with the goal of providing evidence-based recommendations for managing SGS and TS in adults. The task force conducted a systematic review of the relevant literature by searching PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library using predefined search terms aligned with key clinical questions. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach, which also informed the formulation and reporting of the recommendations. The strength of each recommendation reflects the guideline panel’s confidence that the benefits of an intervention outweigh its risks for eligible patients. After drafting the guidelines, feedback was obtained through Delphi questionnaires completed by members of the Korean Bronchoesophagological Society. Ultimately, the committee developed 17 evidence-based recommendations across four categories: initial evaluation, medical management, surgical treatment, and postoperative management and rehabilitation. These guidelines aim to support clinicians in delivering optimal care to adult patients with SGS and TS.

Background: Omalizumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting immunoglobulin E (IgE), is approved for adults and adolescents (12 years or older) with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) that does not respond to high-dose antihistamines. In Korea, there is limited research on predictive biomarkers for omalizumab response in CSU patients. Objective: This retrospective, single-institution study aimed to identify clinical parameters predicting omalizumab response in Korean CSU patients. Methods: We analyzed records of CSU patients aged 19 or older starting omalizumab between January 2017 and October 2019. Omalizumab efficacy was assessed using the Urticaria Activity Score summed over 7 days (UAS7), categorized as well-controlled, mild, moderate, or severe.Ninety CSU patients participated in this study. Results: Among these, improvements in UAS7 categories from baseline to 12 weeks of treatment were observed in 78 patients, while 12 patients showed no significant efficacy. The present study identified potential biomarkers that could predict a patient’s response to omalizumab, including disease duration and total serum IgE levels (p=0.022, p=0.046). Notably, a significant correlation was observed between higher detection rates in multiple antigen simultaneous test (MAST) food testing and lower treatment responses (p=0.033). Conclusion Shorter disease duration of CSU and elevated initial serum total IgE level may serve as potential predictive biomarkers for the responsiveness to omalizumab. Furthermore, a higher MAST food detection rate seemed to correlate with a less favorable treatment response, suggesting patients with a high MAST food detection rate might benefit from a food evaluation in addition to omalizumab treatment.

Background: The interest toward the association between atopic dermatitis (AD) and obesity is increasing, yet the possibility of abnormal lipid metabolism has never been investigated before. Objective: To identify the characteristics of patients with AD who are obese and analyze the serum lipid profiles of these patients. Methods: This observational study included 167 patients diagnosed with AD and underwent evaluations for serum lipid panels between July 2017 and October 2017. The patients’ body mass index was used to determine obesity and the serum lipid panels were analyzed between patients who are obese and non-obese. Also, the disease severity and subjective symptoms were evaluated and serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE) and specific IgE levels were assessed. Results: Of the 167 patients with AD, there were 36 obese and 131 non-obese subjects. Obese patients were found to have a significantly higher disease severity, as well as higher serum triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels and lower high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels, which was most pronounced in adult males. Obesity AD patients also had a significantly higher serum total IgE, itch intensity score, and number of allergens sensitized. Conclusion Patients with AD who are obese should be monitored for possible abnormalities in lipid metabolism. Obesity may be a factor that contributes to a higher disease severity of AD.