1.Current Status of Flow Cytometric Immunophenotyping of Hematolymphoid Neoplasms in Korea
Mikyoung PARK ; Jihyang LIM ; Ari AHN ; Eun-Jee OH ; Jaewoo SONG ; Kyeong-Hee KIM ; Jin-Yeong HAN ; Hyun-Woo CHOI ; Joo-Heon PARK ; Kyung-Hwa SHIN ; Hyerim KIM ; Miyoung KIM ; Sang-Hyun HWANG ; Hyun-Young KIM ; Duck CHO ; Eun-Suk KANG
Annals of Laboratory Medicine 2024;44(3):222-234
Background:
Flow cytometric immunophenotyping of hematolymphoid neoplasms (FCIHLN) is essential for diagnosis, classification, and minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring. FCI-HLN is typically performed using in-house protocols, raising the need for standardization. Therefore, we surveyed the current status of FCI-HLN in Korea to obtain fundamental data for quality improvement and standardization.
Methods:
Eight university hospitals actively conducting FCI-HLN participated in our survey.We analyzed responses to a questionnaire that included inquiries regarding test items, reagent antibodies (RAs), fluorophores, sample amounts (SAs), reagent antibody amounts (RAAs), acquisition cell number (ACN), isotype control (IC) usage, positiveegative criteria, and reporting.
Results:
Most hospitals used acute HLN, chronic HLN, plasma cell neoplasm (PCN), and MRD panels. The numbers of RAs were heterogeneous, with a maximum of 32, 26, 12, 14, and 10 antibodies used for acute HLN, chronic HLN, PCN, ALL-MRD, and multiple myeloma-MRD, respectively. The number of fluorophores ranged from 4 to 10. RAs, SAs, RAAs, and ACN were diverse. Most hospitals used a positive criterion of 20%, whereas one used 10% for acute and chronic HLN panels. Five hospitals used ICs for the negative criterion. Positiveegative assignments, percentages, and general opinions were commonly reported. In MRD reporting, the limit of detection and lower limit of quantification were included.
Conclusions
This is the first comprehensive study on the current status of FCI-HLN in Korea, confirming the high heterogeneity and complexity of FCI-HLN practices. Standardization of FCI-HLN is urgently needed. The findings provide a reference for establishing standard FCI-HLN guidelines.
2.Anatomical Variations Encountered during Adrenal Venous Sampling:A Report of Three Case Series and Review of Literature
Juyoung PAK ; Hyoung Nam LEE ; Myung Sub KIM ; Hyerim PARK
Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology 2024;85(2):456-462
Primary aldosteronism is a group of disorders in which the autonomous secretion of aldosterone is associated with hypertension and hypokalemia. It is crucial to determine the laterality of aldosterone hypersecretion because treatment options differ accordingly. Adrenal venous sampling (AVS) is considered the most reliable method for assessing the laterality of primary aldosteronism. This procedure is often technically challenging because of the small size and varied locations of the adrenal veins. A better understanding of anatomical variations and careful review of imaging studies would improve sampling success. This report presents three cases of anatomical variations encountered during AVS.
3.Anatomical Variations Encountered during Adrenal Venous Sampling:A Report of Three Case Series and Review of Literature
Juyoung PAK ; Hyoung Nam LEE ; Myung Sub KIM ; Hyerim PARK
Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology 2024;85(2):456-462
Primary aldosteronism is a group of disorders in which the autonomous secretion of aldosterone is associated with hypertension and hypokalemia. It is crucial to determine the laterality of aldosterone hypersecretion because treatment options differ accordingly. Adrenal venous sampling (AVS) is considered the most reliable method for assessing the laterality of primary aldosteronism. This procedure is often technically challenging because of the small size and varied locations of the adrenal veins. A better understanding of anatomical variations and careful review of imaging studies would improve sampling success. This report presents three cases of anatomical variations encountered during AVS.
4.Anatomical Variations Encountered during Adrenal Venous Sampling:A Report of Three Case Series and Review of Literature
Juyoung PAK ; Hyoung Nam LEE ; Myung Sub KIM ; Hyerim PARK
Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology 2024;85(2):456-462
Primary aldosteronism is a group of disorders in which the autonomous secretion of aldosterone is associated with hypertension and hypokalemia. It is crucial to determine the laterality of aldosterone hypersecretion because treatment options differ accordingly. Adrenal venous sampling (AVS) is considered the most reliable method for assessing the laterality of primary aldosteronism. This procedure is often technically challenging because of the small size and varied locations of the adrenal veins. A better understanding of anatomical variations and careful review of imaging studies would improve sampling success. This report presents three cases of anatomical variations encountered during AVS.
5.Precision Oncology Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review of Phase II Clinical Trials with Biomarker-Driven, Adaptive Design
Hyerim HA ; Hee Yeon LEE ; Jee Hyun KIM ; Do Yeun KIM ; Ho Jung AN ; SeungJin BAE ; Hye-sung PARK ; Jin Hyoung KANG
Cancer Research and Treatment 2024;56(4):991-1013
Novel clinical trial designs are conducted in the precision medicine era. This study aimed to evaluate biomarker-driven, adaptive phase II trials in precision oncology, focusing on infrastructure, efficacy, and safety. We systematically reviewed and analyzed the target studies. EMBASE and PubMed searches from 2015 to 2023 generated 29 eligible trials. Data extraction included infrastructure, biomarker screening methodologies, efficacy, and safety profiles. Government agencies, cancer hospitals, and academic societies with accumulated experiences led investigator-initiated precision oncology clinical trials (IIPOCTs), which later guided sponsor-initiated precision oncology clinical trials (SIPOCTs). Most SIPOCTs were international studies with basket design. IIPOCTs primarily used the central laboratory for biomarker screening, but SIPOCTs used both central and local laboratories. Most of the studies adapted next-generation sequencing and/or immunohistochemistry for biomarker screening. Fifteen studies included an independent central review committee for outcome investigation. Efficacy assessments predominantly featured objective response rate as the primary endpoint, with varying results. Nine eligible studies contributed to the United States Food and Drug Administration’s marketing authorization. Safety monitoring was rigorous, but reporting formats lacked uniformity. Health-related quality of life and patient-reported outcomes were described in some protocols but rarely reported. Our results reveal that precision oncology trials with adaptive design rapidly and efficiently evaluate anticancer drugs’ efficacy and safety, particularly in specified biomarker-driven cohorts. The evolution from IIPOCT to SIPOCT has facilitated fast regulatory approval, providing valuable insights into the precision oncology landscape.
6.Combined Intramedullary and Intradural Extramedullary Solitary Fibrous Tumor in Cervical Spine
Hyerim PARK ; Yu Sung YOON ; Si-Hyong JANG
Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging 2023;27(2):98-103
We present a rare case of solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) located in the intramedullary (IM) and intradural extramedullary sites of cervical spine, mimicking thrombosed aneurysm and meningioma. Herein, we present a case of spinal intradural SFT in a 59-year-old woman. She presented to the outpatient clinic with a right-sided motor weakness for over a year. The case was initially misinterpreted as a thrombosed aneurysm of the posterior spinal artery. Cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging revealed a well-circumscribed intradural mass with isosignal intensity on T1 and T2-weighted images with markedly T2 dark signal focus and homogenous intense enhancement at the level of C6. Computed tomography showed a slightly high-density mass without evidence of calcification or cystic component. Surgical removal was performed. However, due to combined IM component with adhesion, incomplete tumor resection was done. Pathologic analysis revealed hypocellular spindle cells with a thick collagenous stroma and immunohistochemical staining confirmed SFT. Spinal intradural SFT is a rare spindle cell tumor. Radiologists should consider SFT as a differential diagnosis if T2-weighted imaging shows an intradural located mass with markedly dark signal intensity focus.
7.JYNNEOS vaccine safety monitoring in the Republic of Korea, 2022: a cross-sectional study
Jaeeun LEE ; Seunghyun Lewis KWON ; Jinhee PARK ; Hyuna BAE ; Hyerim LEE ; Geun-Yong KWON
Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives 2023;14(5):433-438
Objectives:
With the recent global mpox outbreak, the JYNNEOS vaccine (Modified VacciniaAnkara-Bavarian Nordic) was developed as a third-generation smallpox vaccine and initiallyfavored for mpox immunization. Vaccine-associated side effects contribute to vaccinehesitancy. Consequently, tracking adverse events post-immunization is crucial for safety management. This study used data from the national active vaccine safety surveillance conducted in Korea from August 25 to November 24, 2022 to detect potential safety signals and adverse events.
Methods:
Data on health conditions following vaccination were gathered from web-based surveys and reported via active surveillance through the Immunization Registry Information System. This follow-up system functioned via a text message link, surveying adverse events and health conditions beginning on the second day post-vaccination. Information aboutspecific adverse events, including both local and systemic reactions, was collected.
Results:
The study included 86 healthcare workers who had received at least 1 dose of the JYNNEOS vaccine. Among the respondents, 79.1% reported experiencing at least 1 adverse event, with the majority being local reactions at the injection site. The incidence of adverse events was higher following the first dose (67.9%) than after the second dose (34.4%). The most frequently reported adverse event for both doses was mild pain at the injection site.
Conclusion
The study provides crucial information on the safety of the JYNNEOS vaccine, demonstrating that most adverse events were manageable and predominantly localized to the injection site. Nonetheless, additional research is needed on the safety of various vaccineadministration techniques and the vaccine’s effects on broader demographics.
8.Prognostic Value of Serum Soluble Programmed Death-Ligand 1 and Dynamics During Chemotherapy in Advanced Gastric Cancer Patients
Woochan PARK ; Ju-Hee BANG ; Ah-Rong NAM ; Mei Hua JIN ; Hyerim SEO ; Jae-Min KIM ; Kyoung Seok OH ; Tae-Yong KIM ; Do-Youn OH
Cancer Research and Treatment 2021;53(1):199-206
Purpose:
The soluble form programmed death-ligand 1 (sPDL1) has immunosuppressive properties and is being studied as a candidate biomarker for immuno-oncology drug development. We measured the serum sPDL1 at pre-and post-chemotherapy and evaluated its prognostic implication and dynamics during chemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer (GC).
Materials and Methods:
We prospectively enrolled 68 GC patients who were candidates for palliative standard first-line chemotherapy, and serially collected blood at baseline and after one cycle of chemotherapy, at the best response and after disease progression. sPDL1 was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Response to chemotherapy, overall survival (OS), progressionfree survival (PFS) and other prognostic factors including neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were obtained. The cut-off value of sPDL1 levels for survival analysis was found using C-statistics.
Results:
The median baseline sPDL1 was 0.8 ng/mL (range, 0.06 to 6.06 ng/mL). The median OS and PFS were 14.9 months and 8.0 months, respectively. sPDL1 and NLR showed a weak positive correlation (Spearman’s rho=0.301, p=0.013). Patients with low levels of sPDL1 at diagnosis (< 1.92 ng/mL) showed a better OS and PFS than patients with a high sPDL1. The baseline sPDL1 before treatment was higher in the progressive disease group than in the stable disease and partial response groups. Patients whose sPDL1 increased after the first cycle of chemotherapy showed worse PFS and OS. Following disease progression, sPDL1 increased compared with the baseline.
Conclusion
sPDL1 at prechemotherapy confers a prognostic value for PFS and OS in GC patients under palliative first-line chemotherapy. Dynamics of sPDL1 during chemotherapy correlates with disease progression.
9.The Association of Childhood Maltreatment with Adulthood Mental Disorders and Suicidality in Korea: a Nationwide Community Study
Jimin LEE ; Hyerim KIM ; Sung Man CHANG ; Jin Pyo HONG ; Dong-Woo LEE ; Bong-Jin HAHM ; Seong-Jin CHO ; Jong-Ik PARK ; Hong Jin JEON ; Su Jeong SEONG ; Jee Eun PARK ; Byung-Soo KIM
Journal of Korean Medical Science 2021;36(37):e240-
Background:
Although childhood maltreatment is a known risk factor for adulthood mental health, the impact of different types of childhood maltreatment on mental disorders is not yet clear. This study explored the association of each type of childhood maltreatment with adulthood mental disorders and suicidality in South Korea.
Methods:
A total of 5,102 individuals from the general populations over the age of 18 responded to the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview and questions about childhood maltreatment (emotional neglect, psychological abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse). To evaluate the odds ratio for mental disorders and suicidality associated with each type of childhood maltreatment, we used logistic regression analysis.
Results:
About 17.0% of the respondents reported having experienced a type of maltreatment in childhood. According to the type, 9.4% reported physical abuse, 9.3% reported emotional neglect, 7.9% reported psychological abuse, and 3.8% reported sexual abuse. Exposure to each type of childhood maltreatment was associated with most types of mental disorders after adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Each type of childhood maltreatment victim was associated with suicidality (suicidal ideations, suicide plans, and suicide attempts).Dose-response patterns for suicide attempts were observed in all types of victims. Moreover, the respondents who experienced frequent childhood emotional neglect were 14 times more likely to have attempted suicide.
Conclusion
Childhood maltreatment was associated with mental health in adulthood.The findings show the need for early detection and intervention of victims of childhood maltreatment to minimize its negative impact on adult mental health.
10.The Association of Childhood Maltreatment with Adulthood Mental Disorders and Suicidality in Korea: a Nationwide Community Study
Jimin LEE ; Hyerim KIM ; Sung Man CHANG ; Jin Pyo HONG ; Dong-Woo LEE ; Bong-Jin HAHM ; Seong-Jin CHO ; Jong-Ik PARK ; Hong Jin JEON ; Su Jeong SEONG ; Jee Eun PARK ; Byung-Soo KIM
Journal of Korean Medical Science 2021;36(37):e240-
Background:
Although childhood maltreatment is a known risk factor for adulthood mental health, the impact of different types of childhood maltreatment on mental disorders is not yet clear. This study explored the association of each type of childhood maltreatment with adulthood mental disorders and suicidality in South Korea.
Methods:
A total of 5,102 individuals from the general populations over the age of 18 responded to the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview and questions about childhood maltreatment (emotional neglect, psychological abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse). To evaluate the odds ratio for mental disorders and suicidality associated with each type of childhood maltreatment, we used logistic regression analysis.
Results:
About 17.0% of the respondents reported having experienced a type of maltreatment in childhood. According to the type, 9.4% reported physical abuse, 9.3% reported emotional neglect, 7.9% reported psychological abuse, and 3.8% reported sexual abuse. Exposure to each type of childhood maltreatment was associated with most types of mental disorders after adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Each type of childhood maltreatment victim was associated with suicidality (suicidal ideations, suicide plans, and suicide attempts).Dose-response patterns for suicide attempts were observed in all types of victims. Moreover, the respondents who experienced frequent childhood emotional neglect were 14 times more likely to have attempted suicide.
Conclusion
Childhood maltreatment was associated with mental health in adulthood.The findings show the need for early detection and intervention of victims of childhood maltreatment to minimize its negative impact on adult mental health.

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