Rectal cancer, which accounts for approximately 40% of colorectal cancers, remains a major clinical concern. Recent advances in diagnostic imaging, surgical techniques, radiotherapy, and systemic treatment have steadily improved rectal cancer outcomes. Considering this, the Korean Rectal Cancer Multidisciplinary (KRCM) Committee has aimed to provide clinicians and policymakers with up-to-date, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to support optimal decision-making, reflecting current evidence, the Korean healthcare context, and patient values and preferences. The Clinical Practice Guidelines for Rectal Cancer version 2.0 were developed through multidisciplinary collaboration with related academic societies, building upon and updating the KRCM Clinical Practice Guidelines version 1.0 (titled “Multidisciplinary guidelines for the management of rectal cancer”). These consensus guidelines of the KRCM were established based on a comprehensive literature review, evidence synthesis, with recommendation development guided by the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) methodology, and consideration of applicability in real-world clinical practice under the national health insurance system. Each recommendation has been presented with its strength and level of evidence.

Osteoid osteoma accounts for approximately 10% of all benign bone tumors, but only approximately 4% of cases occur in the foot and ankle area. Periarticular osteoid osteoma frequently manifests with nonspecific clinical symptoms that mimic other conditions, potentially leading clinicians down a diagnostic side path and resulting in delayed or missed diagnoses compared to extra-articular osteoid osteoma. Although plain radiographs may show nonspecific findings, magnetic resonance imaging can detect bone marrow edema and surrounding soft tissue changes. Computed tomography is the most accurate modality for diagnosis. This paper reports the case of a 26-year-old female diagnosed with periarticular osteoid osteoma of the calcaneus and was treated with arthroscopic localized curettage at the author’s institution.

Background/Aims: To analyze the characteristics of the sputum microbiota of patients with nontuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) based on treatment status. Methods: Twenty-eight sputum samples from 14 patients with NTM-PD, including 14 samples from the microbiologically cured group (7 at baseline and 7 during follow-up) and 14 from the treatment-refractory group (7 at baseline and 7 during follow-up) were included in this study. Bacterial microbiota was analyzed by sequencing the V3–V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Results: Among the 14 patients, most had infections with Mycobacterium avium complex (n = 6), followed by Mycobacterium abscessus (n = 5); three patients exhibited mixed infection with both organisms. Alpha-diversity was higher in the cured group than in the treatment refractory group in both the baseline sputum (ACE, p = 0.005; Chao1, p = 0.010; Jackknife, p = 0.022, 0.043; Shannon, p = 0.048) and follow-up sputum (ACE, p = 0.018). Linear discriminant analysis effect size revealed that several taxa showed differential distributions based on treatment status. At the species level, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Prevotella melaninogenica, Haemophilus parahaemolyticus, Haemophilus haemolyticus, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Neisseria elongata, and Prevotella denticola were more abundant in sputum from the microbiologically cured group than in that from the refractory group (all p < 0.05). Conclusions In contrast to patients with treatment-refractory NTM-PD, those with stable disease without recurrence had higher microbial diversity in their sputum, including several predominant taxa.

Background/Aims: To analyze the characteristics of the sputum microbiota of patients with nontuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) based on treatment status. Methods: Twenty-eight sputum samples from 14 patients with NTM-PD, including 14 samples from the microbiologically cured group (7 at baseline and 7 during follow-up) and 14 from the treatment-refractory group (7 at baseline and 7 during follow-up) were included in this study. Bacterial microbiota was analyzed by sequencing the V3–V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Results: Among the 14 patients, most had infections with Mycobacterium avium complex (n = 6), followed by Mycobacterium abscessus (n = 5); three patients exhibited mixed infection with both organisms. Alpha-diversity was higher in the cured group than in the treatment refractory group in both the baseline sputum (ACE, p = 0.005; Chao1, p = 0.010; Jackknife, p = 0.022, 0.043; Shannon, p = 0.048) and follow-up sputum (ACE, p = 0.018). Linear discriminant analysis effect size revealed that several taxa showed differential distributions based on treatment status. At the species level, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Prevotella melaninogenica, Haemophilus parahaemolyticus, Haemophilus haemolyticus, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Neisseria elongata, and Prevotella denticola were more abundant in sputum from the microbiologically cured group than in that from the refractory group (all p < 0.05). Conclusions In contrast to patients with treatment-refractory NTM-PD, those with stable disease without recurrence had higher microbial diversity in their sputum, including several predominant taxa.