Objectives: This study was conducted to examine the obstacles in the use of healthcare from the perspective of family caregivers based on their experience of mental healthcare services and to identify practical recommendations according to the family’s needs. Methods: A focus group interview was conducted with 59 family caregivers of patients with mental disorders. They were asked about the first moment when they took the patient to a psychiatric hospital, their feelings, and experiences during the treatment, relapse or readmission, access to healthcare and obstacles. The results were analyzed in a three-step procedure using grounded theory analysis. Results: The results showed that the social prejudice and stigma toward mental disorders experienced by the family caregivers hindered the initial treatment approach. Discrimination and disadvantages in healthcare, and poor access to community mental healthcare services, lowered the reliability of institutions and services. A decrease in the sense of healing due to distrust in the treatment and disruption of family life can lead to a vicious circle that affects the continuity of treatment and could result in issues such as the stopping of treatment or difficulty in accessing treatment in case of relapse. Conclusion Based on these results, policy tasks were proposed to improve accessibility to mental health services according to the needs of the patient’s family.

Objectives: The incidence of adenocarcinomas of the esophagogastric junction (EGJ) and cardia has been gradually increasing in the East. Cancers of the EGJ and gastric cardia have poor prognoses. This study aimed to investigate lymph node metastasis (LNM) rates, their predictive factors, and determine the long-term outcomes of patients with Siewert type II/III early gastric cancer (EGC). Methods: Between January 2014 and June 2022, a total of 573 patients with gastric cancer, including 130 with Siewert type II/III EGC, underwent total gastrectomies at the Kosin University Gospel Hospital. Factors associated with LNM were analyzed using a logistic regression model. Results: Of the 130 patients with Siewert type II/III EGC, 10 (7.7%) demonstrated LNM (LNM-positive group). Macroscopically elevated lesions (I+IIa) (60.0% vs. 16.7%; p=0.009) and lymphovascular invasion (70.0% vs. 5.8%; p<0.001) were more common and the depth of invasion was deeper (p=0.003) in the LNM-positive patients than in the LNMnegative group. Multivariate analysis showed that macroscopically elevated lesions (odds ratio [OR], 19.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.93–197.11; p=0.012) and lymphovascular invasion (OR, 52.63; 95% CI, 5.26–526.51; p=0.001) were associated with LNM. Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed that the 5-year overall and disease-specific survival rates of patients with Siewert type II/III EGC were 90.0% and 98.9%, respectively. During a median follow-up period of 49 months (range, 12–122 months), one patient (0.8%) died owing to gastric cancer recurrence. Conclusions Patients with Siewert type II/III EGC showed favorable long-term outcomes. Macroscopically elevated lesions and lymphovascular invasion are associated with LNM.

Background/Aims: To compare the performance of the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) v2018 and Korean Liver Cancer Association-National Cancer Center (KLCANCC) 2018 criteria for diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with hepatobiliary agent (HBA). Methods: We searched the MEDLINE and EMBASE for studies from January 1, 2018, to October 20, 2021, that compared the diagnostic performance of two imaging criteria on HBA-MRI. A bivariate random-effects model was fitted to calculate the per-observation sensitivity and specificity, and the estimates of paired data were compared. Subgroup analysis was performed based on the observation size. Meta-regression analysis was also performed for study heterogeneity. Results: Of the six studies included, the pooled sensitivity of the definite HCC category of the KLCA-NCC criteria (82%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 74% to 90%; I 2 =84%) was higher than that of LR-5 of LI-RADS v2018 (65%; 95% CI, 52% to 77%; I 2 =96%) for diagnosing HCC (p<0.001), while the specificity was lower for KLCA-NCC criteria (87%; 95% CI, 84% to 91%; I 2 =0%) than LI-RADS v2018 (93%; 95% CI, 91% to 96%; I 2 =0%) (p=0.017). For observations sized ≥20 mm, the sensitivity was higher for KLCA-NCC 2018 than for LI-RADS v2018 (84% vs 74%, p=0.012), with no significant difference in specificity (81% vs 85%, p=0.451). The reference standard was a significant factor contributing to the heterogeneity of sensitivities. Conclusions The definite HCC category of KLCA-NCC 2018 provided a higher sensitivity and lower specificity than the LR-5 of LI-RADS v2018 for diagnosing HCC using MRI with HBA.

Purpose: Long-term oncologic differences in outcome between groups of patients with Lynch syndrome (LS) colorectal cancer (CRC) and sporadic CRC with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) are the focus of investigation in the current study. Methods: Patients registered in the Korean Hereditary Tumor Registry and 2 tertiary referral hospitals treated for stage I– III CRC between 2005 and 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Detection for both groups was performed using pedigree, microsatellite instability, and mismatch repair (MMR) gene testing. Multivariate analyses for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were conducted. Results: Cases of LS (n = 77) and sporadic CRC with MSI-H (n = 96) were identified. LS CRC patients were younger in age and displayed tumor sidedness, typically involving left-sided colon and rectum, compared to patients with sporadic CRC with MSI-H. OS and DFS were lower for LS CRC relative to CRC with MSI-H (OS, 72.7% vs. 93.8%, P = 0.001; DFS, 71.4% vs. 88.5%, P = 0.001). In multivariate analyses, tumor sidedness, stage, and chemotherapy were independent factors for OS and DFS. LS CRC was a prognostic factor for poorer OS (hazard ratio, 2.740; 95% confidence interval, 1.003–7.487; P = 0.049), but not DFS. Conclusion Our findings indicate that LS CRC is associated with poorer outcomes compared to sporadic CRC with MSI-H, presenting distinct clinical features. In view of the current lack of knowledge on genetic and molecular mechanisms, appropriate management taking into consideration the difficulty of identification of CRC with hypermutable tumors harboring heterogeneity is essential.

Background: Copeptin is secreted in equimolar amounts as arginine vasopressin, main hormone regulating body fluid homeostasis. A recent study reported a copeptin-based classification of osmoregulatory defects in syndromes of inappropriate antidiuresis that may aid in prediction of therapeutic success. We investigated usefulness of copeptin for differentiating etiologies of hyponatremia and predicting efficacy and safety of hypertonic saline treatment in hyponatremic patients. Methods: We performed a multicenter, prospective cohort study of 100 inpatients with symptomatic hyponatremia (corrected serum sodium [sNa] ≤ 125 mmol/L) treated with hypertonic saline. Copeptin levels were measured at baseline and 24 hours after treatment initiation, and patients were classified as being below or above median of copeptin at baseline or at 24 hours, respectively. Correlations between target, under correction, and overcorrection rates of sNa within 24 hours/24–48 hours and copeptin levels at baseline/24 hours were analyzed. Results: Mean sNa and median copeptin levels were 117.9 and 16.9 pmol/L, respectively. Ratio of copeptin-to-urine sodium allowed for an improved differentiation among some (insufficient effective circulatory volume), but not all hyponatremia etiologic subgroups. Patients with below-median copeptin levels at baseline achieved a higher target correction rate in 6/24 hours (odds ratio [OR], 2.97; p = 0.02/OR, 6.21; p = 0.006). Patients with below-median copeptin levels 24 hours after treatment showed a higher overcorrection rate in next 24 hours (OR, 18.00, p = 0.02). Conclusion There is a limited diagnostic utility of copeptin for differential diagnosis of hyponatremia. However, copeptin might be useful for predicting responses to hypertonic saline treatment in hyponatremic patients.

Purpose: Long-term oncologic differences in outcome between groups of patients with Lynch syndrome (LS) colorectal cancer (CRC) and sporadic CRC with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) are the focus of investigation in the current study. Methods: Patients registered in the Korean Hereditary Tumor Registry and 2 tertiary referral hospitals treated for stage I– III CRC between 2005 and 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Detection for both groups was performed using pedigree, microsatellite instability, and mismatch repair (MMR) gene testing. Multivariate analyses for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were conducted. Results: Cases of LS (n = 77) and sporadic CRC with MSI-H (n = 96) were identified. LS CRC patients were younger in age and displayed tumor sidedness, typically involving left-sided colon and rectum, compared to patients with sporadic CRC with MSI-H. OS and DFS were lower for LS CRC relative to CRC with MSI-H (OS, 72.7% vs. 93.8%, P = 0.001; DFS, 71.4% vs. 88.5%, P = 0.001). In multivariate analyses, tumor sidedness, stage, and chemotherapy were independent factors for OS and DFS. LS CRC was a prognostic factor for poorer OS (hazard ratio, 2.740; 95% confidence interval, 1.003–7.487; P = 0.049), but not DFS. Conclusion Our findings indicate that LS CRC is associated with poorer outcomes compared to sporadic CRC with MSI-H, presenting distinct clinical features. In view of the current lack of knowledge on genetic and molecular mechanisms, appropriate management taking into consideration the difficulty of identification of CRC with hypermutable tumors harboring heterogeneity is essential.

Esophageal cancer is easy to infiltrate and metastasize because esophagus does not have serosa, and is difficult to remove it because esophagus is in the middle of the chest. Because of this, treatments of esophageal cancer do not always follow the guideline. In this situation, efforts to increase treatment efficiency and improve survival rate through multidisciplinary treatment are increasing. In this case, we report the patient with three superficial esophageal cancers (one in cervical esophagus and two in thoracic esophagus). The patient was treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy instead of surgery through multidisciplinary discussion. The patient reached a complete remission through this discussion. This case is intended to inform the usefulness of multidisciplinary treatment in patients with esophageal cancer.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an immune or antigen-mediated chronic inflammatory esophageal disorder that is relatively rarein Asian countries. The main symptoms of EoE are dysphagia and food impaction. Although chest pain is a symptom of EoE, it isalso a symptom of coronary heart disease. This paper reports a case of EoE with angina pectoris in a 45-year-old male who wasreferred to the authors’ hospital for chest pain. He was diagnosed with angina pectoris because of mild stenosis in the left coronaryartery on coronary angiography. On the other hand, the symptoms did not improve with angina medication therapy.Therefore, he underwent a chest CT scan, which revealed esophageal thickening. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed.His endoscopic findings showed linear furrows with edema, and >90 eosinophils existed per high-power field on the histologyfindings. He was diagnosed with EoE. Through additional examinations, he was also diagnosed with asthma. The patient wastreated with a proton pump inhibitor and a fluticasone inhaler. His symptoms and abnormal endoscopic findings disappeared aftereight weeks of treatment. This case shows that physicians should consider the possibility of the symptoms for EoE when unexplainedchest pain persists.

Although not as common as foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract, rectal foreign body insertion is often encountered in emergency departments. The diverse types of rectal foreign bodies have led to various removal methods. When removing a foreign body, the first thing to consider is which method is the least invasive and safest for the patient. This paper reports the successful removal of a rectal foreign body from the rectum using the Valsalva maneuver without anesthesia in a patient.