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.

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.

Objectives: In Korea, cardio-cerebrovascular disease (CCVD) is recognized as an occupational disease when sufficient evidence of a work-related burden exists. In 2021, approximately 26.8% of the payments from occupational disease insurance under the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act were allocated to CCVDs. However, due to the specific nature of insurance policies for farmers, CCVD is not acknowledged as an occupational disease in their case. Methods: We reviewed studies on the differences in the incidence, prevalence, and mortality rates of CCVDs between farmers and the general population or other occupations and described the exposure of farmers to risk factors for CCVDs. Results: Several studies showed that farming is a high-risk occupation for CCVDs, with the following risk factors: long working hours, night work, lack of holidays, and strenuous physical labor; physical factors (noise, cold, heat, humidity, and vibration); exposure to hazardous gases (diesel exhaust, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, carbon disulfide, nitrogen oxides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), pesticides, and dust (particulate matter, silica, and organic dust); exposure to a hypoxic environment; and job-related stress. Social isolation and lack of accessible medical facilities also function as additional risk factors by preventing farmers from receiving early interventions. Conclusions Farmers are exposed to various risk factors for CCVDs and are an occupation at risk for CCVDs. More studies are needed in the future to elucidate this relationship. This study lays the groundwork for future research to develop guidelines for approving CCVDs as occupational diseases among farmers.

Objectives: In Korea, cardio-cerebrovascular disease (CCVD) is recognized as an occupational disease when sufficient evidence of a work-related burden exists. In 2021, approximately 26.8% of the payments from occupational disease insurance under the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act were allocated to CCVDs. However, due to the specific nature of insurance policies for farmers, CCVD is not acknowledged as an occupational disease in their case. Methods: We reviewed studies on the differences in the incidence, prevalence, and mortality rates of CCVDs between farmers and the general population or other occupations and described the exposure of farmers to risk factors for CCVDs. Results: Several studies showed that farming is a high-risk occupation for CCVDs, with the following risk factors: long working hours, night work, lack of holidays, and strenuous physical labor; physical factors (noise, cold, heat, humidity, and vibration); exposure to hazardous gases (diesel exhaust, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, carbon disulfide, nitrogen oxides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), pesticides, and dust (particulate matter, silica, and organic dust); exposure to a hypoxic environment; and job-related stress. Social isolation and lack of accessible medical facilities also function as additional risk factors by preventing farmers from receiving early interventions. Conclusions Farmers are exposed to various risk factors for CCVDs and are an occupation at risk for CCVDs. More studies are needed in the future to elucidate this relationship. This study lays the groundwork for future research to develop guidelines for approving CCVDs as occupational diseases among farmers.

Objectives: In Korea, cardio-cerebrovascular disease (CCVD) is recognized as an occupational disease when sufficient evidence of a work-related burden exists. In 2021, approximately 26.8% of the payments from occupational disease insurance under the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act were allocated to CCVDs. However, due to the specific nature of insurance policies for farmers, CCVD is not acknowledged as an occupational disease in their case. Methods: We reviewed studies on the differences in the incidence, prevalence, and mortality rates of CCVDs between farmers and the general population or other occupations and described the exposure of farmers to risk factors for CCVDs. Results: Several studies showed that farming is a high-risk occupation for CCVDs, with the following risk factors: long working hours, night work, lack of holidays, and strenuous physical labor; physical factors (noise, cold, heat, humidity, and vibration); exposure to hazardous gases (diesel exhaust, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, carbon disulfide, nitrogen oxides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), pesticides, and dust (particulate matter, silica, and organic dust); exposure to a hypoxic environment; and job-related stress. Social isolation and lack of accessible medical facilities also function as additional risk factors by preventing farmers from receiving early interventions. Conclusions Farmers are exposed to various risk factors for CCVDs and are an occupation at risk for CCVDs. More studies are needed in the future to elucidate this relationship. This study lays the groundwork for future research to develop guidelines for approving CCVDs as occupational diseases among farmers.

Purpose: Globally, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common and has been associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). There is a dearth of literature on the real-world morbidity and mortality associated with CKD comorbid with CRC. This study was performed to evaluate real-world survival outcomes of colorectal malignancy in Korean CKD patients. Methods: The National Health Insurance Service of Korea provided data on patients who underwent surgical resection among patients diagnosed with CRC from 2002 to 2019. Results: A total of 219,550 patients were included: 6,181 patients with underlying CKD and 213,369 patients without it.Each morbidity was significantly higher in the CKD-CRC group, and the postoperative mortality rates for the 30-day (3.11% vs. 1.78%, P < 0.001), 60-day (5.95% vs. 3.83%, P < 0.001), and 90-day mortality rate (8.12% vs. 5.32%, P < 0.001) were significantly higher in the CKD group. The median survival time (MST, year) was significantly lower in the CKD-CRC group (5.63; interquartile range [IQR], 5.26–5.91) than in the non-CKD-CRC group (8.71; IQR, 8.37–8.93). MST was significantly lower among CKD patients who received chemotherapy after adjustment by multivariate analysis (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.37–1.49; P < 0.001]). Subgroup analysis showed that in the CKD-CRC group, MST was lower in patients who received dialysis than in those who did not, even after multivariate analysis (adjusted HR, 2.38;95% CI, 2.20–2.58; P < 0.001). Conclusion Prevention of CKD-to-end-stage renal disease progression should be adopted as a strategy to increase postoperative survival, along with active surveillance and cancer treatment.