Purpose: Since 1995, the Korean Gastric Cancer Association (KGCA) has been periodically conducting nationwide surveys on patients with surgically treated gastric cancer. This study details the results of the survey conducted in 2023. Materials and Methods: The survey was conducted from March to December 2024 using a standardized case report form. Data were collected on 86 items, including patient demographics, tumor characteristics, surgical procedures, and surgical outcomes. The results of the 2023 survey were compared with those of previous surveys. Results: Data from 12,751 cases were collected from 66 institutions. The mean patient age was 64.6 years, and the proportion of patients aged ≥71 years increased from 9.1% in 1995 to 31.7% in 2023. The proportion of upper-third tumors slightly decreased to 16.8% compared to 20.9% in 2019. Early gastric cancer accounted for 63.1% of cases in 2023.Regarding operative procedures, a totally laparoscopic approach was most frequently applied (63.2%) in 2023, while robotic gastrectomy steadily increased to 9.5% from 2.1% in 2014.The most common anastomotic method was the Billroth II procedure (48.8%) after distal gastrectomy and double-tract reconstruction (51.9%) after proximal gastrectomy in 2023.However, the proportion of esophago-gastrostomy with anti-reflux procedures increased to 30.9%. The rates of post-operative mortality and overall complications were 1.0% and 15.3%, respectively. Conclusions The results of the 2023 nationwide survey demonstrate the current status of gastric cancer treatment in Korea. This information will provide a basis for future gastric cancer research.

Heart failure (HF) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in South Korea, imposing substantial physical, emotional, and financial burdens on patients and society. Despite the high burden of symptom and complex care needs of HF patients, palliative care and hospice services remain underutilized in South Korea due to cultural, institutional, and knowledge-related barriers. This position statement from the Korean Society of Heart Failure emphasizes the need for integrating palliative and hospice care into HF management to improve quality of life and support holistic care for patients and their families. By clarifying the role of palliative care in HF and proposing practical referral criteria, this position statement aims to bridge the gap between HF and palliative care services in South Korea, ultimately improving patient-centered outcomes and aligning treatment with the goals and values of HF patients.

Purpose: Since 1995, the Korean Gastric Cancer Association (KGCA) has been periodically conducting nationwide surveys on patients with surgically treated gastric cancer. This study details the results of the survey conducted in 2023. Materials and Methods: The survey was conducted from March to December 2024 using a standardized case report form. Data were collected on 86 items, including patient demographics, tumor characteristics, surgical procedures, and surgical outcomes. The results of the 2023 survey were compared with those of previous surveys. Results: Data from 12,751 cases were collected from 66 institutions. The mean patient age was 64.6 years, and the proportion of patients aged ≥71 years increased from 9.1% in 1995 to 31.7% in 2023. The proportion of upper-third tumors slightly decreased to 16.8% compared to 20.9% in 2019. Early gastric cancer accounted for 63.1% of cases in 2023.Regarding operative procedures, a totally laparoscopic approach was most frequently applied (63.2%) in 2023, while robotic gastrectomy steadily increased to 9.5% from 2.1% in 2014.The most common anastomotic method was the Billroth II procedure (48.8%) after distal gastrectomy and double-tract reconstruction (51.9%) after proximal gastrectomy in 2023.However, the proportion of esophago-gastrostomy with anti-reflux procedures increased to 30.9%. The rates of post-operative mortality and overall complications were 1.0% and 15.3%, respectively. Conclusions The results of the 2023 nationwide survey demonstrate the current status of gastric cancer treatment in Korea. This information will provide a basis for future gastric cancer research.

Purpose: Since 1995, the Korean Gastric Cancer Association (KGCA) has been periodically conducting nationwide surveys on patients with surgically treated gastric cancer. This study details the results of the survey conducted in 2023. Materials and Methods: The survey was conducted from March to December 2024 using a standardized case report form. Data were collected on 86 items, including patient demographics, tumor characteristics, surgical procedures, and surgical outcomes. The results of the 2023 survey were compared with those of previous surveys. Results: Data from 12,751 cases were collected from 66 institutions. The mean patient age was 64.6 years, and the proportion of patients aged ≥71 years increased from 9.1% in 1995 to 31.7% in 2023. The proportion of upper-third tumors slightly decreased to 16.8% compared to 20.9% in 2019. Early gastric cancer accounted for 63.1% of cases in 2023.Regarding operative procedures, a totally laparoscopic approach was most frequently applied (63.2%) in 2023, while robotic gastrectomy steadily increased to 9.5% from 2.1% in 2014.The most common anastomotic method was the Billroth II procedure (48.8%) after distal gastrectomy and double-tract reconstruction (51.9%) after proximal gastrectomy in 2023.However, the proportion of esophago-gastrostomy with anti-reflux procedures increased to 30.9%. The rates of post-operative mortality and overall complications were 1.0% and 15.3%, respectively. Conclusions The results of the 2023 nationwide survey demonstrate the current status of gastric cancer treatment in Korea. This information will provide a basis for future gastric cancer research.

Non-gonococcal sexually transmitted infections (STIs) include chlamydia, syphilis, and chancroids. Chlamydia is the most common STI caused by Chlamydia trachomatis and is mainly transmitted through sexual intercourse or vertical transmission at birth. Although symptoms are mostly absent or mild, untreated chlamydial infections in females can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility due to the narrowing of fallopian tubes. Syphilis is caused by Treponema pallidum and is divided into phase I, phase II, latent syphilis, and phase III. The incidence of syphilis, including congenital syphilis, has significantly increased in the United States in recent years. The chronic status of this disease can significantly increase morbidity and potentially affect almost all body organs, which, in rare cases, can lead to death. Additionally, untreated maternal syphilis can lead to fetal death and fatal congenital infections in newborns. Chancroid is an STI caused by Haemophilus ducreyi, and its prevalence is gradually decreasing in Korea and worldwide. The symptoms include shallow genital ulcers with suppurative granulomatous inflammation and tender inguinal lymphadenopathy. Chancroids can be differentiated from syphilitic chancres based on their appearance. In contrast to painless chancres, chancroids are painful. Ureaplasma urealyticum, Ureaplasma parvum, and Mycoplasma hominis are considered symbiotic bacteria.Infections caused by these bacteria are usually not considered STIs and do not require treatment unless they are suspected of being associated with infertility. This article presents the 2023 Korean STI guidelines for non-gonococcal bacterial infections.

Background: s/Aims: Reported incidence of extrahepatic bile duct cancer is higher in Asians than in Western populations. Korea, in particular, is one of the countries with the highest incidence rates of extrahepatic bile duct cancer in the world. Although research and innovative therapeutic modalities for extrahepatic bile duct cancer are emerging, clinical guidelines are currently unavailable in Korea. The Korean Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery in collaboration with related societies (Korean Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery Society, Korean Society of Abdominal Radiology, Korean Society of Medical Oncology, Korean Society of Radiation Oncology, Korean Society of Pathologists, and Korean Society of Nuclear Medicine) decided to establish clinical guideline for extrahepatic bile duct cancer in June 2021. Methods: Contents of the guidelines were developed through subgroup meetings for each key question and a preliminary draft was finalized through a Clinical Guidelines Committee workshop. Results: In November 2021, the finalized draft was presented for public scrutiny during a formal hearing. Conclusions The extrahepatic guideline committee believed that this guideline could be helpful in the treatment of patients.

Background/Aims: Palliative chemotherapy (PC) is not standardized for patients with advanced ampulla of Vater adenocarcinoma (AA). This multicenter, retrospective study evaluated first-line PC outcomes in patients with AA. Methods: Patients diagnosed with AA between January 2010 and December 2020 who underwent PC were enrolled from 10 institutions. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) according to the chemotherapy regimen were analyzed. Results: Of 255 patients (mean age, 64.0±10.0 years; male, 57.6%), 14 (5.5%) had locally advanced AA and 241 (94.5%) had metastatic AA. Gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GP) was administered as first-line chemotherapy to 192 patients (75.3%), whereas capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (CAPOX) was administered to 39 patients (15.3%). The median OS of all patients was 19.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 17.3 to 22.3), and that of patients who received GP and CAPOX was 20.4 months (95% CI, 17.2 to 23.6) and 16.0 months (95% CI, 11.2 to 20.7), respectively. The median PFS of GP and CAPOX patients were 8.4 months (95% CI, 7.1 to 9.7) and 5.1 months (95% CI, 2.5 to 7.8), respectively. PC for AA demonstrated improved median outcomes in both OS and PFS compared to conventional bile duct cancers that included AA. Conclusions While previous studies have shown mixed prognostic outcomes when AA was analyzed together with other biliary tract cancers, our study unveils a distinct clinical prognosis specific to AA on a large scale with systemic anticancer therapy. These findings suggest that AA is a distinct type of tumor, different from other biliary tract cancers, and AA itself could be expected to have a favorable response to PC.