Purpose: To develop the 2025 update to the Korean colorectal cancer (CRC) screening guidelines by systematically evaluating recent evidence, integrating domestic data, and addressing changes since the 2015 guideline revision, thereby providing an evidence-based standard for clinicians and policymakers. Methods: A multidisciplinary committee developed the guidelines using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology. The process included formulation of three key questions addressing screening efficacy, diagnostic accuracy, and optimal screening age and interval. A systematic review of international guidelines and primary literature was conducted, yielding 327 eligible studies. In addition, a utility-based analysis using a Markov model was performed to determine optimal screening ages and intervals. Results: The evidence synthesis identified high-certainty evidence supporting the use of the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) for reducing CRC mortality and moderate-certainty evidence for colonoscopy. Evidence for computed tomographic colonography (CTC) and stool DNA testing was rated as very low certainty. Based on the evidence review and cost-utility analysis, the committee conditionally recommends CRC screening for asymptomatic, average-risk adults aged 45–74 years using either colonoscopy every 10 years or FIT every 1–2 years. CTC and stool DNA testing were not recommended owing to insufficient evidence. Conclusion The 2025 Korean Guidelines for Colorectal Cancer Screening present updated, evidence-based recommendations tailored to the domestic healthcare context. By conditionally endorsing both colonoscopy and FIT for individuals aged 45–74 years, these guidelines aim to improve population-level screening effectiveness and reduce the burden of CRC in South Korea.

Metaverse-based mental health interventions have recently emerged as an extension of telepsychiatry, digital therapeutics (DTx), and virtual reality (VR)–based treatments for children and adolescents. The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote psychological assessment and intervention, raising critical questions regarding their clinical validity, developmental appropriateness, and long-term applicability in youth populations. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that remote assessments and internet-based interventions can achieve clinical outcomes comparable to face-to-face approaches in selected domains, particularly anxiety, depression, and social communication difficulties. In parallel, immersive technologies such as VR and metaverse-based platforms have been applied to exposure-based interventions, social skills training, and emotion regulation in controlled and repeatable environments. This narrative review examined 48 empirical and review studies on telepsychiatry, internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy, DTx, VR, and metaverse-based interventions for children and adolescents. Neurobiological mechanisms relevant to fear extinction, executive function, emotion regulation, and social cognition were critically reviewed. In addition, real-world implementation experiences from a hospital-based Wee Center in Korea were integrated to evaluate feasibility within school-linked mental health services. The findings suggested that metaverse-based counseling should not be conceptualized as a stand-alone replacement for face-to-face treatment, but rather as a complementary, hybrid platform linking remote screening, structured digital intervention, and in-person clinical care. While current evidence supported feasibility and conditional clinical utility, further longitudinal, controlled, and cost-effectiveness studies were required to establish its role in pediatric mental health.

Background: This study aims to compare the effects of short- and intermediate-acting erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) on hemoglobin (Hb) variability in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 119 patients who were classified into two groups based on ESA type: short-acting ESA (epoetin alfa/beta [EPO], n=48) and intermediate-acting ESA (darbepoetin alfa [DPO], n=71). Hb levels were measured 11 times at 4-week intervals from ESA therapy initiation to 40 weeks of follow-up. This study used established metrics from previous research, including standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), and residual SD, to quantify Hb variability. Results: Over the 40-week study period with 4-week measurement intervals, mean Hb levels were comparable between the two ESA groups. In the EPO and DPO groups, SD was 0.67±0.19 g/dL and 0.69±0.22 g/dL, respectively (p=0.516), CV was 0.06±0.02 and 0.07±0.02, respectively (p=0.480), and residual SD was 0.73±0.21 g/dL and 0.76±0.26 g/dL, respectively (p=0.463). No significant differences in Hb variability were observed between the groups over 40 weeks using SD, CV, and residual SD. Conclusion This retrospective cohort study showed comparable mean Hb levels and Hb variability indices between groups. With respect to Hb variability, the findings reveal no clear basis for prioritizing either short-acting or intermediate-acting ESA.

Background: Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is a mainstay treatment for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC); however, resistance to cisplatin contributes substantially to poor clinical outcomes. Identifying biomarkers associated with cisplatin response may improve prognostic assessment and treatment selection. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-HNSC dataset to evaluate the association between microtubule associated scaffold protein 1 (MTUS1) expression and clinical outcomes, with particular emphasis on patients who were cisplatin-treated. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier curves, and differential expression analysis was conducted separately by comparing patients in disease-specific survival (DSS)-living and DSS-deceased groups. MTUS1 messenger RNA and protein levels were examined in cisplatin-sensitive oral cancer cell lines and their paired cisplatin-resistant counterparts using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Functional relevance was assessed by small interfering RNA-mediated MTUS1 knockdown in primary oral squamous cell carcinoma organoids. Results: MTUS1 protein expression was significantly lower in HNSC tumors than in non-tumor tissues. In the overall TCGA-HNSC cohort, MTUS1 expression was not significantly associated with survival. However, in patients who were cisplatin-treated, higher MTUS1 expression was significantly associated with more favorable DSS. MTUS1 expression was consistently lower in cisplatin-resistant oral cancer cell lines than in their paired cisplatin-sensitive counterparts. Functional experiments further suggested that reduced MTUS1 expression is associated with decreased cisplatin sensitivity and a resistant phenotype. Conclusion MTUS1 expression may be associated with clinical outcomes in patients with cisplatin-treated HNSC and is related to cisplatin responsiveness. These findings suggest a role for MTUS1 as a candidate treatment-relevant biomarker and highlight the value of integrating public omics data with experimental validation.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive condition characterized by declining kidney function principally driven by diabetes mellitus, glomerulonephritis, and hypertension. Although renal biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosing CKD, its invasive nature restricts its use for early detection and routine clinical applications. Current noninvasive biomarkers, including the estimated glomerular filtration rate and albumin-to-creatinine ratio, are useful indicators of kidney dysfunction but fall short in specificity and sensitivity required to distinguish between CKD subtypes, including diabetic kidney disease and glomerulonephritis. Recently, urinary extracellular vesicles (uEVs), nano-sized lipid bilayer entities ranging from 30 to 1,000 nm in diameter and secreted by renal cells, have emerged as promising biomarkers for CKD. uEVs encapsulate a diverse array of proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids that mirror kidney pathophysiology, presenting a noninvasive means to assess disease progression, inflammation, fibrosis, and oxidative stress within the urinary system. Furthermore, uEVs offer a molecular fingerprint of kidney health, positioning them as potential tools for precision medicine. This review explores the diagnostic potential of uEVs, underscoring the need for standardization in urine collection, normalization techniques, and uEV isolation methodologies. We also highlight uEV-based biomarkers that distinguish various CKD subtypes and mirror pathological changes within the kidneys and urogenital system. As molecular proxies of their cells of origin, uEVs hold significant promise in enhancing CKD diagnostics to enable early detection, disease classification, and the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

Purpose: Atypical hyperplasia (AH) management remains controversial due to variable malignant disease progression rates. While Western studies report 10% to 25% upgrade rates, data from Asian populations, particularly from referral academic centers, are limited. We aimed to identify predictive factors for malignant upgrade in Korean women with AH at academic hospitals. Methods: This retrospective multi-institutional study analyzed 340 patients diagnosed with AH on initial biopsy who underwent subsequent excision at five Korean academic hospitals from 2000 to 2022. Malignant upgrade was defined as ductal carcinoma in situ or invasive cancer on the final pathology. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of upgrades. Results: Among 340 patients (319 atypical ductal hyperplasia, 20 atypical lobular hyperplasia, and 1 mixed), 128 (37.6%) experienced a malignant upgrade, 98 (76.6%) to ductal carcinoma in situ, and 30 (23.4%) to invasive cancer. In multivariate analysis, multifocal atypia (odds ratio [OR], 25.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 11.20–58.55; P<0.001) and Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System 4c-5 lesions (OR, 11.02; 95% CI, 1.43–84.86; P=0.021) were significant predictors. Multifocal atypia showed an 84.4% upgrade rate. Core needle biopsy had higher upgrade rates than vacuum-assisted biopsy (45.2% vs. 20.0%; P<0.001). The upgrade rates decreased from 50% to 25% over the study period (P<0.05). Conclusion The 37.6% upgrade rate in this tertiary referral cohort exceeded that in Western reports, with multifocal atypia emerging as the strongest predictor. These findings support immediate excision for multifocal atypia while allowing individualized management for unifocal lesions with favorable imaging in Korean tertiary care settings.

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a progressive condition caused by the accumulation of fat in the liver, begins with simple steatosis and can potentially progress to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) in the presence of inflammation and fibrosis, ultimately leading to cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Increasing evidence indicates that sodiumglucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors effectively alleviate MASH in mouse models. However, there is a lack of research on the effects of enavogliflozin on liver disease. In the present study, we investigated the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on MASH induced by a high-fat, high-cholesterol (HFHC) diet in mice. Methods: Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a normal chow diet, HFHC diet, or HFHC diet with enavogliflozin for 12 weeks. LX-2 and HepG2 cells were treated with enavogliflozin in the presence of various pathological stimuli. Results: The HFHC diet induced excessive hepatic lipid accumulation, inflammation, and severe fibrosis. Administration of enavogliflozin not only ameliorated hepatic steatosis and fibrotic conditions but also suppressed the production of inflammatory cytokines. Positive outcomes were also observed in in vitro experiments, where enavogliflozin demonstrated the ability to impede the activation of hepatic stellate cells and alleviate lipid accumulation in hepatocytes. The potential pathway through which enavogliflozin attenuated liver fibrosis development may be associated with the transforming growth factor β1/Smad signaling pathway. Conclusion Our results suggest that enavogliflozin is effective in a mouse model of MASH by attenuating hepatic steatosis, suppressing inflammation, and improving liver fibrosis.

Background/Aims: Recent advances in computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) systems have demonstrated expert-level accuracy in the optical diagnosis of colorectal polyps. High-confidence (HC) diagnoses have been defined as those made within 3 seconds without hesitation, and these systems have been shown to improve diagnostic accuracy. We aimed to evaluate the performance of endoscopists with varying levels of experience in diagnosing colorectal polyps with the assistance of a new CADx system applying the 3-second rule and without artificial intelligence assistance. Methods: In this multicenter ex vivo study, 35 endoscopists assessed 100 polyps (51 adenomas, 39 hyperplastic polyps, 10 sessile serrated lesions) using narrow-band imaging video clips on an online platform. Assessments consisted of individual endoscopist diagnosis and CADx-assisted diagnosis. HC assignments followed the 3-second rule in both phases. Performance metrics included HC accuracy, HC rate, and adherence to the Preservation and Incorporation of Valuable Endoscopic Innovations (PIVI) and Simple Optical Diagnosis Accuracy (SODA) thresholds. Results: HC diagnostic accuracy improved from 78.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 76.6% to 80.0%) to 89.8% (95% CI, 88.6% to 90.9%) with CADx assistance (p<0.001). The proportion of HC predictions increased from 64.2% to 75.4% (p<0.001). Novice endoscopists showed marked improvement with CADx (74.1% vs 88.8%; p<0.001). CADx-assisted diagnoses nearly met SODA and PIVI thresholds under the 3-second rule. Additional analysis demonstrated that CADx assistance significantly improved interobserver agreement and ground truth, particularly for novices (κ=0.37 to κ=0.65; p<0.001). Conclusions Integrating CADx with the 3-second rule significantly enhances the performance of endoscopists in the optical diagnosis of colorectal polyps, with the greatest benefit observed among novice endoscopists.

Objectives: Large language models (LLMs) demonstrate remarkable potential in healthcare communication. However, whether they can process complex, high-volume medical information, such as stroke-related content, remains insufficiently validated. This study aimed to evaluate the natural language processing capabilities of LLMs in handling such content and to develop an evaluation instrument. Methods: A survey compared educational materials generated by two LLMs (ChatGPT 4.0 and Claude 3) with neurologist-authored content on stroke. The materials were based on two clinical scenarios representing distinct stroke etiologies: cardioembolism and large-artery atherosclerosis. They were evaluated in terms of accuracy, legality, ethics, comprehensiveness, and information delivery. Scores for comprehensiveness and information delivery were compared according to participants’ agreement with the use of LLMs in healthcare. Results: ChatGPT received the highest scores across all domains, except for legality in Scenario 2. In Scenario 1, the ranking for accuracy and summarization of clinical information was, from highest to lowest, ChatGPT, Claude, and the neurologist (η2 = 0.140, p < 0.001; η2 = 0.175, p < 0.001). The same hierarchy was observed in Scenario 2 for accuracy (η2 = 0.077, p < 0.001) and summarization (η2 = 0.194, p < 0.001). Participants who agreed with the use of LLMs in healthcare assigned higher scores for the comprehensiveness (Scenario 1, p = 0.005; Scenario 2, p = 0.007) and information delivery (Scenario 1, p = 0.003; Scenario 2, p = 0.026) of ChatGPT-generated materials than participants who did not agree. Conclusions LLMs demonstrated adequate capability to convey complex content, such as stroke-related information, in an accessible and understandable manner for non-experts.

Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are an important treatment option for ulcerative colitis, providing rapid onset of action, oral administration, and efficacy even after biologic failure. The 3 approved agents—tofacitinib, filgotinib, and upadacitinib—differ in JAK isoform selectivity, leading to clinically meaningful differences in efficacy and safety. Evidence from network meta-analyses, clinical trials, and real-world studies consistently shows that upadacitinib provides the highest efficacy for induction and maintenance of remission, whereas filgotinib demonstrates the most favorable safety profile. The strong efficacy of upadacitinib and tofacitinib is particularly relevant in patients with severe disease, including acute severe ulcerative colitis, and upadacitinib maintains high efficacy regardless of prior advanced therapy exposure. JAK inhibitors also benefit extraintestinal manifestations. Although risks such as herpes zoster, serious infection, thromboembolism, and major cardiovascular events differ among agents, long-term data suggest generally acceptable safety when used appropriately. Intraclass JAK-to-JAK cycling is feasible, with about half of patients achieving steroid-free clinical remission in retrospective cohorts. Based on mechanistic, clinical, and real-world evidence, filgotinib may be a first-line option for patients with lower disease activity or when safety is a priority, whereas upadacitinib or tofacitinib may be preferred in higher disease activity. Strategically selecting agents may improve durability and outcomes.