Objective To investigate the awareness of radon exposure hazards among non-uranium miners in Chongqing, China. Methods A survey was conducted among 177 male miners from eight non-uranium metal mines in Chongqing to collect data on basic information, personal habits, and the rate of radon awareness. Factors affecting radon awareness were analyzed using chi-square test and logistic regression model. Results The awareness rate of radon among miners was 23.73%. The chi-square test indicated significant difference in the radon awareness rate among miners with different levels of education (χ² = 10.28, P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference across different ages, years of work, labor relations, job categories, and types of miners (P > 0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that a college (junior college) or higher level of education, a high school level of education, and working in mines were factors affecting the radon awareness among miners (χ² = 4.030, 9.150, 11.776, P < 0.05). Conclusion Miners lack awareness of radon, and there is an urgent need to strengthen education and propaganda regarding the hazards of radon.

Background: Traditionally, dental implants require a healing period of 4 to 9 months for osseointegration, with longer recovery times considered when bone grafting is needed. This retrospective study evaluates the clinical efficacy of demineralized dentin matrix (DDM) combined with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) during dental implant placement to expedite the osseointegration period for early loading. Methods: Thirty patients (17 male, 13 female; mean age 55.0 ± 8.8 years) requiring bone grafts due to implant fixture exposure (more than four threads; ≥ 3.2 mm) were included, with a total of 96 implants placed. Implants were inserted using a two-stage protocol with DDM/rhBMP-2 grafts. Early loading was initiated at two months postoperatively in the mandible and three months in the maxilla. Clinical outcomes evaluated included primary and secondary stability (implant stability quotient values), healing period, bone width, and marginal bone level assessed via cone-beam computed tomography. Results: All implants successfully supported final prosthetics with a torque of 50Ncm, without any osseointegration failures. The average healing period was 69.6 days in the mandible and 90.5 days in the maxilla, with significantly higher secondary stability in the mandible (80.7 ± 6.7) compared to the maxilla (73.0 ± 9.2, p < 0.001). Histological analysis confirmed new bone formation and vascularization. Conclusion DDM/rhBMP-2 grafting appears to significantly reduce the healing period, enabling early loading with stable and favorable clinical outcomes.

Background: Several novel molecular platforms using nucleic acid amplification tests have been developed for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and rapid detection of isoniazid and rifampin resistance. Among them, the BD MAX MDR-TB assay (BD MAX) has shown high sensitivity and specificity; however, its diagnostic accuracy performed on bronchoscopy specimens has not been reported. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with suspected PTB who underwent bronchoscopy. Patients who underwent BD MAX testing of bronchoscopy specimens were included in the final analysis. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for PTB diagnosis were calculated using a positive culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis as the reference standard. Results: Of 114 patients, 34 had culture-confirmed PTB. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of BD MAX performed on bronchoscopy specimens for the diagnosis of PTB were 79.4%, 88.8%, 75.0%, and 91.0%, respectively. The sensitivity of BD MAX was superior to that of acid-fast bacillus smear (79.4% vs. 38.2%, p<0.001). Conclusion BD MAX performed on bronchoscopy specimens showed high accuracy for diagnosing PTB. BD MAX can be performed on bronchoscopy specimens in patients with suspected PTB.

Randomized clinical trials are important in both clinical and academic stroke communities with increasing numbers of new design concepts emerging. One of the “less traditional” designs that have gained increasing interest in the last decade is non-inferiority trials. Whilst the concept might appear straightforward, the design and interpretation of non-inferiority trials can be challenging. In this review, we will use exemplars from clinical trials in the stroke field to provide an overview of the advantages and limitations of non-inferiority trials and how they should be interpreted in stroke research.

Purpose: This study aimed to project cancer incidence and mortality for 2025 to estimate Korea’s current cancer burden. Materials and Methods: Cancer incidence data from 1999 to 2022 were obtained from the Korea National Cancer Incidence Database, while cancer mortality data from 1993 to 2023 were acquired from Statistics Korea. Cancer incidence and mortality were projected by fitting a linear regression model to observed age-specific cancer rates against their respective years and then by multiplying the projected age-specific rates by the anticipated age-specific population for 2025. A joinpoint regression model was applied to identify significant changes in trends, using only the most recent trend data for predictions. Results: A total of 304,754 new cancer cases and 84,019 cancer deaths are expected in Korea in 2025. The most commonly diagnosed cancer is projected to be thyroid cancer, followed by the colorectal, lung, breast, prostate and stomach cancers. These six cancers are expected to account for 63.8% of the total cancer burden. Lung cancer is expected to be the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, followed by liver, colorectal, pancreatic, stomach, and gallbladder cancers, together comprising 66.6% of total cancer deaths. Conclusion The increasing incidence of female breast cancer and the rise in prostate and pancreatic cancers are expected to continue. As aging accelerates, cancer commonly found in older adults are projected to rise significantly.

Purpose: The current study provides national cancer statistics and their secular trends in Korea, including incidence, mortality, survival, and prevalence in 2022, with international comparisons. Materials and Methods: Cancer incidence, survival, and prevalence rates were calculated using the Korea National Cancer Incidence Database (1999-2022), with survival follow-up until December 31, 2023. Mortality data obtained from Statistics Korea, while international comparisons were based on GLOBOCAN data. Results: In 2022, 282,047 newly diagnosed cancer cases (age-standardized rate [ASR], 287.0 per 100,000) and 83,378 deaths from cancer (ASR, 65.7 per 100,000) were reported. The proportion of localized-stage cancers increased from 45.6% in 2005 to 50.9% in 2022. Stomach, colorectal, and breast cancer showed increased localized-stage diagnoses by 18.1, 18.5, and 9.9 percentage points, respectively. Compared to 2001-2005, the 5-year relative survival (2018-2022) increased by 20.4 percentage points for stomach cancer, 7.6 for colorectal cancer, and 5.6 for breast cancer. Korea had the lowest cancer mortality among countries with similar incidence rates and the lowest mortality-to-incidence (M/I) ratios for these cancers. The 5-year relative survival (2018-2022) was 72.9%, contributing to over 2.59 million prevalent cases in 2022. Conclusion Since the launch of the National Cancer Screening Program in 2002, early detection has improved, increasing the diagnosis of localized-stage cancers and survival rates. Korea recorded the lowest M/I ratio among major comparison countries, demonstrating the effectiveness of its National Cancer Control Program.

Purpose: Research on the prevalence of prostate cancer (PCa) screening and reasons for undergoing screening is limited. We aimed to identify the factors influencing PCa screening behavior and explore the underlying motivations among Korean men. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the 2023 Korean National Cancer Screening Survey, which employs a nationally representative random sampling method. This study included 1,784 men aged 40-74 years. The respondents reported their experiences with PCa screening. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the factors associated with participation in PCa screening. Results: The lifetime PCa screening rate was 18.6%. Among screening modalities, transrectal ultrasonography was the most frequently used (31.9%), followed by prostate-specific antigen tests (25.6%) and digital rectal examinations (21.5%). The multivariable analysis identified several factors that significantly increased the likelihood of screening participation, including older age, living with a spouse, poor self-reported health, and abstinence from alcohol consumption in the previous 12 months. Men who had undergone colorectal cancer screening were more likely to participate in PCa screening (adjusted odds ratio, 4.01; 95% confidence interval, 2.03 to 7.93) than those who had not. The primary motivations for screening were recommendations from family or social networks (31.9%) and inclusion in health examination packages (24.3%), whereas healthcare provider recommendations (18%) and symptomatic concerns (5.7%) were the least influential. Conclusion Our findings highlight the importance of providing evidence-based information for PCa screening recommendations and the need for improved communication and implementation of a shared decision-making approach for PCa screening in Korea.

The common data model (CDM) has found widespread application in healthcare studies, but its utilization in cancer research has been limited. This article describes the development and implementation strategy for Cancer Clinical Library Databases (CCLDs), which are standardized cancer-specific databases established under the Korea-Clinical Data Utilization Network for Research Excellence (K-CURE) project by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare. Fifteen leading hospitals and fourteen academic associations in Korea are engaged in constructing CCLDs for 10 primary cancer types. For each cancer type-specific CCLD, cancer data experts determine key clinical data items essential for cancer research, standardize these items across cancer types, and create a standardized schema. Comprehensive clinical records covering diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes, with annual updates, are collected for each cancer patient in the target population, and quality control is based on six-sigma standards. To protect patient privacy, CCLDs follow stringent data security guidelines by pseudonymizing personal identification information and operating within a closed analysis environment. Researchers can apply for access to CCLD data through the K-CURE portal, which is subject to Institutional Review Board and Data Review Board approval. The CCLD is considered a pioneering standardized cancer-specific database, significantly representing Korea’s cancer data. It is expected to overcome limitations of previous CDMs and provide a valuable resource for multicenter cancer research in Korea.

Purpose: This study aimed to report the overall national trends in the rates of cancer screening based on recommendations and provide insights into the changing trends of these rates across different demographics. Materials and Methods: This study used data from the Korean National Cancer Screening Survey (KNCSS), which surveys nationwide cancer-screening rates and includes 4,500 individuals meeting the Korean National Cancer Screening Program (NCSP) protocol age criteria. Cancer-screening rates were assessed using structured questionnaires; yearly trends were analyzed for both lifetime cancer-screening rates and rates of screening based on recommendations, and subgroup analyses were performed based on age and sex. Results: The rates of cancer screening based on recommendations showed significant increments: the stomach cancer-screening rate increased from 39.2% in 2004 to 77.5% in 2023 (3.50% per year), the liver cancer-screening rate increased from 20.0% to 48.8% (4.30% per year), and the colorectal cancer, increased from 19.9% to 70.7% (5.15% per year). The breast cancer-screening rate increased from 33.2% to 72.7% (2.88% per year), and the cervical cancer, increased from 58.3% to 70.2% (1.08% per year). Despite some differences, particularly in relation to sociodemographic factors, screening rates increased significantly for all cancer types. Conclusion Cancer-screening rates in Korea increased consistently from 2004 to 2023, demonstrating the effectiveness of the national cancer-screening program. However, the increments in breast, cervical and lung cancer-screening rates were relatively lower, indicating the need for additional efforts and strategies.