Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in Korea and the third leading cause of death from cancer. Treatment outcomes for colon cancer are steadily improving due to national health screening programs with advances in diagnostic methods, surgical techniques, and therapeutic agents.. The Korea Colon Cancer Multidisciplinary (KCCM) Committee intends to provide professionals who treat colon cancer with the most up-to-date, evidence-based practice guidelines to improve outcomes and help them make decisions that reflect their patients’ values and preferences. These guidelines have been established by consensus reached by the KCCM Guideline Committee based on a systematic literature review and evidence synthesis and by considering the national health insurance system in real clinical practice settings. Each recommendation is presented with a recommendation strength and level of evidence based on the consensus of the committee.

Objective: This study investigated the associations between paraspinal muscle measurements on chest computed tomography and clinical outcomes of elderly patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Methods: This single-center, retrospective, observational study analyzed elderly patients (≥65 years) with CAP hospitalized through an emergency department between March 2020 and December 2022. We collected their baseline characteristics and laboratory data at the time of admission. The paraspinal muscle index and attenuation were calculated at the level of the 12th thoracic vertebra using chest computed tomography taken within 48 hours before or after admission. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the association between paraspinal muscle measurements and 28-day mortality. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and area under the curve (AUC) analyses were used to evaluate the prognostic predictive power. Results: Of the 338 enrolled patients, 60 (17.8%) died within 28 days after admission. A high paraspinal muscle index was associated with low 28-day mortality in elderly patients with CAP (adjusted odds ratio, 0.994; 95% confidence interval, 0.992–0.997). The area under the ROC curve for the muscle index was 0.75, which outperformed the pneumonia severity index and the CURB-65 (confusion, urea, respiratory rate, blood pressure, age ≥65 years) metric, both of which showed an AUC of 0.64 in predicting mortality. Conclusion A high paraspinal muscle index was associated with low 28-day mortality in patients aged 65 years or older with CAP.

Purpose: The benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy following curative-intent surgery in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients who had received neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX is unclear. This study aimed to assess the survival benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy in this patient population. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 218 patients with localized non-metastatic PDAC who received neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX and underwent curative-intent surgery (R0 or R1) between January 2017 and December 2020. The association of adjuvant chemotherapy with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) was evaluated in overall patients and in the propensity score matched (PSM) cohort. Subgroup analysis was conducted according to the pathology-proven lymph node status. Results: Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 149 patients (68.3%). In the overall cohort, the adjuvant chemotherapy group had significantly improved DFS and OS compared to the observation group (DFS: median, 13.8 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 11.0 to 19.1] vs. 8.2 months [95% CI, 6.5 to 12.0]; p < 0.001; and OS: median, 38.0 months [95% CI, 32.2 to not assessable] vs. 25.7 months [95% CI, 18.3 to not assessable]; p=0.005). In the PSM cohort of 57 matched pairs of patients, DFS and OS were better in the adjuvant chemotherapy group than in the observation group (p < 0.001 and p=0.038, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, adjuvant chemotherapy was a significant favorable prognostic factor (vs. observation; DFS: hazard ratio [HR], 0.51 [95% CI, 0.36 to 0.71; p < 0.001]; OS: HR, 0.45 [95% CI, 0.29 to 0.71; p < 0.001]). Conclusion Among PDAC patients who underwent surgery following neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX, adjuvant chemotherapy may be associated with improved survival. Randomized studies should be conducted to validate this finding.

Purpose: There are no reliable biomarkers to guide treatment for patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC) in the neoadjuvant setting. We used plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) sequencing to search biomarkers for patients with BRPC receiving neoadjuvant mFOLFIRINOX in our phase 2 clinical trial (NCT02749136). Materials and Methods: Among the 44 patients enrolled in the trial, patients with plasma ctDNA sequencing at baseline or post-operation were included in this analysis. Plasma cell-free DNA isolation and sequencing were performed using the Guardant 360 assay. Detection of genomic alterations, including DNA damage repair (DDR) genes, were examined for correlations with survival. Results: Among the 44 patients, 28 patients had ctDNA sequencing data qualified for the analysis and were included in this study. Among the 25 patients with baseline plasma ctDNA data, 10 patients (40%) had alterations of DDR genes detected at baseline, inclu-ding ATM, BRCA1, BRCA2 and MLH1, and showed significantly better progression-free survival than those without such DDR gene alterations detected (median, 26.6 vs. 13.5 months; log-rank p=0.004). Patients with somatic KRAS mutations detected at baseline (n=6) had significantly worse overall survival (median, 8.5 months vs. not applicable; log-rank p=0.003) than those without. Among 13 patients with post-operative plasma ctDNA data, eight patients (61.5%) had detectable somatic alterations. Conclusion Detection of DDR gene mutations from plasma ctDNA at baseline was associated with better survival outcomes of pati-ents with borderline resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma treated with neoadjuvant mFOLFIRINOX and may be a prognostic biomarker.

Objective: Body mass index (BMI) is a major determinant of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). However, the relationship of BMI with pneumonia has not been entirely characterized. Methods: Adult patients with pneumonia, who visited the emergency department from January 2017 to December 2019, were included. According to BMI, they were divided into two groups, including normal-weight and obesity groups. Data were retrospectively reviewed via the prospectively collected pneumonia registry and medical chart. NT-proBNP, BMI and pneumonia severity index (PSI) were determined for all subjects. The moderating effect between NT-proBNP and BMI was examined by entering interaction terms into the multivariable regression model predicting mortality. Using the area under the curve (AUC), the predictive performance of NT-proBNP was evaluated. Results: Of 327 enrolled patients, 118 patients belonged to the obesity group. In a multivariable model including BMI, NT-proBNP was identified as an independent predictor of mortality. The AUC of the adjusted NT-proBNP including BMI, significantly increased the AUC of the adjusted NT-proBNP excluding BMI and tended to be superior to that of PSI. A positively significant BMI-by-NT-proBNP interaction for mortality was observed. NT-proBNP showed significant prognostic power in both BMI groups, but NT-proBNP of the obesity group had significantly higher AUC than that of the normalweight group. In the obesity group, the AUC of NT-proBNP tended to be higher than that of PSI. Conclusion BMI is a significant factor enhancing the prognostic power of NT-proBNP in pneumonia. The prognostic utility of NT-proBNP was significantly differed by BMI groups, which is more useful in the obesity group than the normalweight group.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to modify and validate an emergency department (ED) triage system with improved prediction performance on hospital outcomes by modifying the Korean Triage and Acuity Scale (KTAS). Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study at three academic universities in South Korea. The KTAS code, determined by the chief complaint and the selected modifier of a patient, was used to derive the Modified KTAS (MKTAS). We calculated the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) and the test characteristics to evaluate the performance of MKTAS to predict hospital mortality, critical outcome, and admission. Results: A total of 272402 and 128831 ED visits were used for the derivation and validation of MKTAS, respectively. Compared to KTAS, MKTAS had significantly higher AUC values for the prediction of hospital mortality [MKTAS 0.826 (0.818–0.835) vs. KTAS 0.794 (0.784–0.803)], critical outcome [MKTAS 0.836 (0.830–0.841) vs. 0.798 (0.792–0.804)], and admission [MKTAS 0.725 (0.723– 0.728) vs. KTAS 0.685 (0.682–0.688)]. The sensitivity for predicting hospital mortality and critical outcome, as well as the specificity for predicting admission, were significantly improved. Conclusion MKTAS was derived by modifying the KTAS, and then validated. Compared with KTAS, MKTAS showed better discriminating ability to predict hospital outcomes. Continuous efforts to evaluate and modify widely used triage systems are required to improve their performance.

Purpose: The clinical implications of tumor-infiltrating T cell subsets and their spatial distribution in biliary tract cancer (BTC) patients treated with gemcitabine plus cisplatin were investigated. Materials and Methods: A total of 52 BTC patients treated with palliative gemcitabine plus cisplatin were included. Multiplexed immunohistochemistry was performed on tumor tissues, and immune infiltrates were separately analyzed for the stroma, tumor margin, and tumor core. Results: The density of CD8+ T cells, FoxP3- CD4+ helper T cells, and FoxP3+ CD4+ regulatory T cells was significantly higher in the tumor margin than in the stroma and tumor core. The density of LAG3- or TIM3-expressing CD8+ T cell and FoxP3- CD4+ helper T cell infiltrates was also higher in the tumor margin. In extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, there was a higher density of T cell subsets in the tumor core and regulatory T cells in all regions. A high density of FoxP3- CD4+ helper T cells in the tumor margin showed a trend toward better progression-free survival (PFS) (p=0.092) and significantly better overall survival (OS) (p=0.012). In multivariate analyses, a high density of FoxP3- CD4+ helper T cells in the tumor margin was independently associated with favorable PFS and OS. Conclusion The tumor margin is the major site for the active infiltration of T cell subsets with higher levels of LAG3 and TIM3 expression in BTC. The density of tumor margin-infiltrating FoxP3- CD4+ helper T cells may be associated with clinical outcomes in BTC patients treated with gemcitabine plus cisplatin.

Purpose: The aims of the present study were twofold. First, the research investigated the effect of an individual’s risk factors and the prevalence of psychotropic drugs on QTc prolongation, TdP (torsades de pointes), and death. Second, the study compared the risk scoring systems (the Mayo Pro-QT risk score and the Tisadale risk score) on QTc prolongation. Methods: The medical records of intoxicated patients who visited the emergency department between March 2010 and February 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. Among 733 patients, the present study included 426 psychotropic drug-intoxicated patients.The patients were categorized according to the QTc value. The known risk factors of QTc prolongation were examined, and the Mayo Pro-QT risk score and the Tisadale risk score were calculated. The analysis was performed using multiple logistic regression, Spearman correlation, and ROC (receiver operating characteristic). Results: The numbers in the mild to moderate group (male: 470≤QTc<500 ms, female: 480≤QTc<500 ms) and severe group (QTc≥500 ms or increase of QTc at least 60ms from baseline, both sex) were 68 and 95, respectively. TdP did not occur, and the only cause of death was aspiration pneumonia. The statically significant risk factors were multidrug intoxications of TCA (tricyclic antidepressant), atypical antipsychotics, an atypical antidepressant, panic disorder, and hypokalemia. The Tisadale risk score was larger than the Mayo Pro-QT risk score. Conclusion Multiple psychotropic drugs intoxication (TCA, an atypical antidepressant, and atypical antipsychotics), panic disorder, and hypokalemia have been proven to be the main risk factors of QTc prolongation, which require enhanced attention. The present study showed that the Tisadale score had a stronger correlation and predictive accuracy for QTc prolongation than the Mayo Pro-QT score. As a result, the Tisadale risk score is a crucial assessment tool for psychotropic drug-intoxicated patients in a clinical setting.

Purpose: The aims of the present study were twofold. First, the research investigated the effect of an individual’s risk factors and the prevalence of psychotropic drugs on QTc prolongation, TdP (torsades de pointes), and death. Second, the study compared the risk scoring systems (the Mayo Pro-QT risk score and the Tisadale risk score) on QTc prolongation. Methods: The medical records of intoxicated patients who visited the emergency department between March 2010 and February 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. Among 733 patients, the present study included 426 psychotropic drug-intoxicated patients.The patients were categorized according to the QTc value. The known risk factors of QTc prolongation were examined, and the Mayo Pro-QT risk score and the Tisadale risk score were calculated. The analysis was performed using multiple logistic regression, Spearman correlation, and ROC (receiver operating characteristic). Results: The numbers in the mild to moderate group (male: 470≤QTc<500 ms, female: 480≤QTc<500 ms) and severe group (QTc≥500 ms or increase of QTc at least 60ms from baseline, both sex) were 68 and 95, respectively. TdP did not occur, and the only cause of death was aspiration pneumonia. The statically significant risk factors were multidrug intoxications of TCA (tricyclic antidepressant), atypical antipsychotics, an atypical antidepressant, panic disorder, and hypokalemia. The Tisadale risk score was larger than the Mayo Pro-QT risk score. Conclusion Multiple psychotropic drugs intoxication (TCA, an atypical antidepressant, and atypical antipsychotics), panic disorder, and hypokalemia have been proven to be the main risk factors of QTc prolongation, which require enhanced attention. The present study showed that the Tisadale score had a stronger correlation and predictive accuracy for QTc prolongation than the Mayo Pro-QT score. As a result, the Tisadale risk score is a crucial assessment tool for psychotropic drug-intoxicated patients in a clinical setting.

Objective: N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is suggested as a prognostic biomarker for communityacquired pneumonia (CAP). However, its predictive value for an individual adult and elderly CAP patients has not been fully investigated. Methods: Patients with CAP aged 18 years and older, who visited the emergency department (ED) from March 1, 2016 to March 31, 2019, were included in this study. Patients were divided into the adult group and the elderly group (age ≥70 years). Data was collected from the ED-based registry, and medical charts were retrospectively reviewed. The registry data included sociodemographic and past medical characteristics, as well as laboratory findings including NT-proBNP and C-reactive protein (CRP), Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI), and CURB65 (confusion, urea, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and aged 65 or more). The independent potential of NT-proBNP to predict mortality was assessed in both groups using multivariable logistic regression, and its predictive ability was evaluated in terms of performance (using areas under the curve [AUCs]) and goodness-of-fit (using the Bayesian information criterion [BIC]). Results: Totally, 325 CAP patients were evaluated, of which 208 (64%) belonged to the elderly group. NT-proBNP was identified as an independent predictor of CAP mortality in elderly patients, but not in adult patients. Moreover, AUC of the NT-proBNP for mortality was comparable to AUC of the PSI, but was higher than that of the CURB65, in elderly CAP patients. Similarly, the NT-proBNP had a better overall fit (lower BIC value) compared to the CURB65, for mortality. Additionally, both AUC and overall fit of the NT-proBNP for mortality were significantly superior to values obtained for CRP. Conclusion For elderly CAP patients in the ED, the NT-proBNP is an independent and useful predictor of mortality.