Systemic sclerosis (SS) is an autoimmune disease and pathological mechanisms of SS are unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of T cells in the progression of SS using SKG mice and humanized mice. SKG mice have a spontaneous point mutation in ZAP70. We induced scleroderma in SKG mice and a humanized SS mouse model to assess whether T cell-mediated immune responses induce SS. As a result, we found increased dermal thickness, fibrosis, and lymphocyte infiltration in skin tissue in SKG SS mice compared to BALB/c mice (control). Also, blood cytokine level, including IL-4- and IFN-α which are produced by CD4+ T cells via STIM1/STING/STAT6/IRF3 signaling pathways, were increased in SKG mice. Interestingly, skin fibrosis was reduced by inhibiting STING pathway in skin fibroblast.Next, we demonstrated the pathophysiological role of IL-4 and IFN-α in skin fibrosis using a humanized SS mouse model and found increased IL-4- and IFN-α-producing CD4+ T cells and fibrosis. In this study, we found that STING-induced production of IL-4- and type I IFN by CD4+ T cells is a key factor in mouse model and humanized mouse model of SS. Our findings suggest that the STING/STAT6/IRF3 signaling pathways are potential therapeutic targets in SS.

Although lipoma is a well-known non-malignant tumor, oral cavity lipoma is a rather uncommon disease. Intraoral lipoma originating from the buccal fat pad is an exceptionally rare disorder. Buccal fat pad lipomas typically impair the face's appearance and functionality. The treatment is surgical excision using an intraoral technique, and close identifying of the surrounding anatomical systems, including the parotid duct, vessels, and buccinator branch of the facial nerve. A fifty-year-old patient reported consistently growing swelling of the left cheek. Clinical examination revealed a unilateral mass in the soft tissue. An MRI scan showed a typical picture of a lipoma attached to the buccal fat pad. Surgery was performed to remove the tumor, and the histology report confirmed the clinical diagnosis of lipoma.

Systemic sclerosis (SS) is an autoimmune disease and pathological mechanisms of SS are unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of T cells in the progression of SS using SKG mice and humanized mice. SKG mice have a spontaneous point mutation in ZAP70. We induced scleroderma in SKG mice and a humanized SS mouse model to assess whether T cell-mediated immune responses induce SS. As a result, we found increased dermal thickness, fibrosis, and lymphocyte infiltration in skin tissue in SKG SS mice compared to BALB/c mice (control). Also, blood cytokine level, including IL-4- and IFN-α which are produced by CD4+ T cells via STIM1/STING/STAT6/IRF3 signaling pathways, were increased in SKG mice. Interestingly, skin fibrosis was reduced by inhibiting STING pathway in skin fibroblast.Next, we demonstrated the pathophysiological role of IL-4 and IFN-α in skin fibrosis using a humanized SS mouse model and found increased IL-4- and IFN-α-producing CD4+ T cells and fibrosis. In this study, we found that STING-induced production of IL-4- and type I IFN by CD4+ T cells is a key factor in mouse model and humanized mouse model of SS. Our findings suggest that the STING/STAT6/IRF3 signaling pathways are potential therapeutic targets in SS.

Although lipoma is a well-known non-malignant tumor, oral cavity lipoma is a rather uncommon disease. Intraoral lipoma originating from the buccal fat pad is an exceptionally rare disorder. Buccal fat pad lipomas typically impair the face's appearance and functionality. The treatment is surgical excision using an intraoral technique, and close identifying of the surrounding anatomical systems, including the parotid duct, vessels, and buccinator branch of the facial nerve. A fifty-year-old patient reported consistently growing swelling of the left cheek. Clinical examination revealed a unilateral mass in the soft tissue. An MRI scan showed a typical picture of a lipoma attached to the buccal fat pad. Surgery was performed to remove the tumor, and the histology report confirmed the clinical diagnosis of lipoma.

Although lipoma is a well-known non-malignant tumor, oral cavity lipoma is a rather uncommon disease. Intraoral lipoma originating from the buccal fat pad is an exceptionally rare disorder. Buccal fat pad lipomas typically impair the face's appearance and functionality. The treatment is surgical excision using an intraoral technique, and close identifying of the surrounding anatomical systems, including the parotid duct, vessels, and buccinator branch of the facial nerve. A fifty-year-old patient reported consistently growing swelling of the left cheek. Clinical examination revealed a unilateral mass in the soft tissue. An MRI scan showed a typical picture of a lipoma attached to the buccal fat pad. Surgery was performed to remove the tumor, and the histology report confirmed the clinical diagnosis of lipoma.

Although lipoma is a well-known non-malignant tumor, oral cavity lipoma is a rather uncommon disease. Intraoral lipoma originating from the buccal fat pad is an exceptionally rare disorder. Buccal fat pad lipomas typically impair the face's appearance and functionality. The treatment is surgical excision using an intraoral technique, and close identifying of the surrounding anatomical systems, including the parotid duct, vessels, and buccinator branch of the facial nerve. A fifty-year-old patient reported consistently growing swelling of the left cheek. Clinical examination revealed a unilateral mass in the soft tissue. An MRI scan showed a typical picture of a lipoma attached to the buccal fat pad. Surgery was performed to remove the tumor, and the histology report confirmed the clinical diagnosis of lipoma.

Systemic sclerosis (SS) is an autoimmune disease and pathological mechanisms of SS are unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of T cells in the progression of SS using SKG mice and humanized mice. SKG mice have a spontaneous point mutation in ZAP70. We induced scleroderma in SKG mice and a humanized SS mouse model to assess whether T cell-mediated immune responses induce SS. As a result, we found increased dermal thickness, fibrosis, and lymphocyte infiltration in skin tissue in SKG SS mice compared to BALB/c mice (control). Also, blood cytokine level, including IL-4- and IFN-α which are produced by CD4+ T cells via STIM1/STING/STAT6/IRF3 signaling pathways, were increased in SKG mice. Interestingly, skin fibrosis was reduced by inhibiting STING pathway in skin fibroblast.Next, we demonstrated the pathophysiological role of IL-4 and IFN-α in skin fibrosis using a humanized SS mouse model and found increased IL-4- and IFN-α-producing CD4+ T cells and fibrosis. In this study, we found that STING-induced production of IL-4- and type I IFN by CD4+ T cells is a key factor in mouse model and humanized mouse model of SS. Our findings suggest that the STING/STAT6/IRF3 signaling pathways are potential therapeutic targets in SS.

Purpose: Gastric cancer (GC) is among the most prevalent and fatal cancers worldwide.National cancer screening programs in countries with high incidences of this disease provide medical aid beneficiaries with free-of-charge screening involving upper endoscopy to detect early-stage GC. However, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused major disruptions to routine healthcare access. Thus, this study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the diagnosis, overall incidence, and stage distribution of GC. Materials and Methods: We identified patients in our hospital cancer registry who were diagnosed with GC between January 2018 and December 2021 and compared the cancer stage at diagnosis before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to age and sex. The years 2018 and 2019 were defined as the “before COVID” period, and the years 2020 and 2021 as the “during COVID” period. Results: Overall, 10,875 patients were evaluated; 6,535 and 4,340 patients were diagnosed before and during the COVID-19 period, respectively. The number of diagnoses was lower during the COVID-19 pandemic (189 patients/month vs. 264 patients/month) than before it.Notably, the proportion of patients with stages 3 or 4 GC in 2021 was higher among men and patients aged ≥40 years. Conclusions During the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall number of GC diagnoses decreased significantly in a single institute. Moreover, GCs were in more advanced stages at the time of diagnosis. Further studies are required to elucidate the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and the delay in the detection of GC worldwide.

The aim of this study was to develop evidence-based recommendations for determining the surgical extent in patients with locally invasive differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Locally invasive DTC with gross extrathyroidal extension invading surrounding anatomical structures may lead to several functional deficits and poor oncological outcomes. At present, the optimal extent of surgery in locally invasive DTC remains a matter of debate, and there are no adequate guidelines. On October 8, 2021, four experts searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases; the identified papers were reviewed by 39 experts in thyroid and head and neck surgery. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to assess the quality of evidence, and to develop and report recommendations. The strength of a recommendation reflects the confidence of a guideline panel that the desirable effects of an intervention outweigh any undesirable effects, across all patients for whom the recommendation is applicable. After completing the draft guidelines, Delphi questionnaires were completed by members of the Korean Society of Head and Neck Surgery. Twenty-seven evidence-based recommendations were made for several factors, including the preoperative workup; surgical extent of thyroidectomy; surgery for cancer invading the strap muscles, recurrent laryngeal nerve, laryngeal framework, trachea, or esophagus; and surgery for patients with central and lateral cervical lymph node involvement. Evidence-based guidelines were devised to help clinicians make safer and more efficient clinical decisions for the optimal surgical treatment of patients with locally invasive DTC.