Purpose: Considering the high disease burden and unique features of Asian patients with breast cancer (BC), it is essential to have a comprehensive view of genetic characteristics in this population. An institutional targeted sequencing platform was developed through the Korea Research-Driven Hospitals project and was incorporated into clinical practice. This study explores the use of targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) and its outcomes in patients with advanced/metastatic BC in the real world. Materials and Methods: We reviewed the results of NGS tests administered to BC patients using a customized sequencing platform—FiRST Cancer Panel (FCP)—over 7 years. We systematically described clinical translation of FCP for precise diagnostics, personalized therapeutic strategies, and unraveling disease pathogenesis. Results: NGS tests were conducted on 548 samples from 522 patients with BC. Ninety-seven point six percentage of tested samples harbored at least one pathogenic alteration. The common alterations included mutations in TP53 (56.2%), PIK3CA (31.2%), GATA3 (13.8%), BRCA2 (10.2%), and amplifications of CCND1 (10.8%), FGF19 (10.0%), and ERBB2 (9.5%). NGS analysis of ERBB2 amplification correlated well with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. RNA panel analyses found potentially actionable and prognostic fusion genes. FCP effectively screened for potentially germline pathogenic/likely pathogenic mutation. Ten point three percent of BC patients received matched therapy guided by NGS, resulting in a significant overall survival advantage (p=0.022), especially for metastatic BCs. Conclusion Clinical NGS provided multifaceted benefits, deepening our understanding of the disease, improving diagnostic precision, and paving the way for targeted therapies. The concrete advantages of FCP highlight the importance of multi-gene testing for BC, especially for metastatic conditions.

Background: and Purpose This study was an open-label, dose-escalation, phase 1 clinical trial to determine the safety and dose of EN001 for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). EN001, developed by ENCell, are allogeneic early-passage Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells that originate at the umbilical cord, with preclinical studies demonstrating their high therapeutic efficacy for DMD. Methods: This phase 1 clinical trial explored the safety and tolerability of EN001 as a potential treatment option for patients with DMD. Six pediatric participants with DMD were divided into two subgroups of equal size: low-dose EN001 (5.0×105 cells/kg) and high-dose EN001 (2.5×106 cells/kg). All participants were monitored for 12 weeks after EN001 administration to assess its safety. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was evaluated across 2 weeks post administration. Exploratory efficacy was evaluated by measuring serum creatine kinase levels, and functional evaluations—including spirometry, myometry, the North Star Ambulatory Assessment, and the 6-minute walk test—were conducted at week 12 and compared with the baseline values. Results: No participants experienced serious adverse events related to EN001 injection during the 12-week follow-up period. Mild adverse events included injection-related local erythema, edema, parosmia, and headache, but DLT was not observed. Functional evaluations at week 12 revealed no significant changes from baseline. Conclusions These results demonstrated that EN001 are safe and well tolerated for patients with DMD, and did not cause serious adverse events. The efficacy of EN001 could be confirmed through larger-scale future studies that incorporate repeated dosing and have a randomized controlled trial design.

Purpose: Considering the high disease burden and unique features of Asian patients with breast cancer (BC), it is essential to have a comprehensive view of genetic characteristics in this population. An institutional targeted sequencing platform was developed through the Korea Research-Driven Hospitals project and was incorporated into clinical practice. This study explores the use of targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) and its outcomes in patients with advanced/metastatic BC in the real world. Materials and Methods: We reviewed the results of NGS tests administered to BC patients using a customized sequencing platform—FiRST Cancer Panel (FCP)—over 7 years. We systematically described clinical translation of FCP for precise diagnostics, personalized therapeutic strategies, and unraveling disease pathogenesis. Results: NGS tests were conducted on 548 samples from 522 patients with BC. Ninety-seven point six percentage of tested samples harbored at least one pathogenic alteration. The common alterations included mutations in TP53 (56.2%), PIK3CA (31.2%), GATA3 (13.8%), BRCA2 (10.2%), and amplifications of CCND1 (10.8%), FGF19 (10.0%), and ERBB2 (9.5%). NGS analysis of ERBB2 amplification correlated well with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. RNA panel analyses found potentially actionable and prognostic fusion genes. FCP effectively screened for potentially germline pathogenic/likely pathogenic mutation. Ten point three percent of BC patients received matched therapy guided by NGS, resulting in a significant overall survival advantage (p=0.022), especially for metastatic BCs. Conclusion Clinical NGS provided multifaceted benefits, deepening our understanding of the disease, improving diagnostic precision, and paving the way for targeted therapies. The concrete advantages of FCP highlight the importance of multi-gene testing for BC, especially for metastatic conditions.

Background: and Purpose This study was an open-label, dose-escalation, phase 1 clinical trial to determine the safety and dose of EN001 for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). EN001, developed by ENCell, are allogeneic early-passage Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells that originate at the umbilical cord, with preclinical studies demonstrating their high therapeutic efficacy for DMD. Methods: This phase 1 clinical trial explored the safety and tolerability of EN001 as a potential treatment option for patients with DMD. Six pediatric participants with DMD were divided into two subgroups of equal size: low-dose EN001 (5.0×105 cells/kg) and high-dose EN001 (2.5×106 cells/kg). All participants were monitored for 12 weeks after EN001 administration to assess its safety. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was evaluated across 2 weeks post administration. Exploratory efficacy was evaluated by measuring serum creatine kinase levels, and functional evaluations—including spirometry, myometry, the North Star Ambulatory Assessment, and the 6-minute walk test—were conducted at week 12 and compared with the baseline values. Results: No participants experienced serious adverse events related to EN001 injection during the 12-week follow-up period. Mild adverse events included injection-related local erythema, edema, parosmia, and headache, but DLT was not observed. Functional evaluations at week 12 revealed no significant changes from baseline. Conclusions These results demonstrated that EN001 are safe and well tolerated for patients with DMD, and did not cause serious adverse events. The efficacy of EN001 could be confirmed through larger-scale future studies that incorporate repeated dosing and have a randomized controlled trial design.

Purpose: Considering the high disease burden and unique features of Asian patients with breast cancer (BC), it is essential to have a comprehensive view of genetic characteristics in this population. An institutional targeted sequencing platform was developed through the Korea Research-Driven Hospitals project and was incorporated into clinical practice. This study explores the use of targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) and its outcomes in patients with advanced/metastatic BC in the real world. Materials and Methods: We reviewed the results of NGS tests administered to BC patients using a customized sequencing platform—FiRST Cancer Panel (FCP)—over 7 years. We systematically described clinical translation of FCP for precise diagnostics, personalized therapeutic strategies, and unraveling disease pathogenesis. Results: NGS tests were conducted on 548 samples from 522 patients with BC. Ninety-seven point six percentage of tested samples harbored at least one pathogenic alteration. The common alterations included mutations in TP53 (56.2%), PIK3CA (31.2%), GATA3 (13.8%), BRCA2 (10.2%), and amplifications of CCND1 (10.8%), FGF19 (10.0%), and ERBB2 (9.5%). NGS analysis of ERBB2 amplification correlated well with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. RNA panel analyses found potentially actionable and prognostic fusion genes. FCP effectively screened for potentially germline pathogenic/likely pathogenic mutation. Ten point three percent of BC patients received matched therapy guided by NGS, resulting in a significant overall survival advantage (p=0.022), especially for metastatic BCs. Conclusion Clinical NGS provided multifaceted benefits, deepening our understanding of the disease, improving diagnostic precision, and paving the way for targeted therapies. The concrete advantages of FCP highlight the importance of multi-gene testing for BC, especially for metastatic conditions.

Background: and Purpose This study was an open-label, dose-escalation, phase 1 clinical trial to determine the safety and dose of EN001 for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). EN001, developed by ENCell, are allogeneic early-passage Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells that originate at the umbilical cord, with preclinical studies demonstrating their high therapeutic efficacy for DMD. Methods: This phase 1 clinical trial explored the safety and tolerability of EN001 as a potential treatment option for patients with DMD. Six pediatric participants with DMD were divided into two subgroups of equal size: low-dose EN001 (5.0×105 cells/kg) and high-dose EN001 (2.5×106 cells/kg). All participants were monitored for 12 weeks after EN001 administration to assess its safety. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was evaluated across 2 weeks post administration. Exploratory efficacy was evaluated by measuring serum creatine kinase levels, and functional evaluations—including spirometry, myometry, the North Star Ambulatory Assessment, and the 6-minute walk test—were conducted at week 12 and compared with the baseline values. Results: No participants experienced serious adverse events related to EN001 injection during the 12-week follow-up period. Mild adverse events included injection-related local erythema, edema, parosmia, and headache, but DLT was not observed. Functional evaluations at week 12 revealed no significant changes from baseline. Conclusions These results demonstrated that EN001 are safe and well tolerated for patients with DMD, and did not cause serious adverse events. The efficacy of EN001 could be confirmed through larger-scale future studies that incorporate repeated dosing and have a randomized controlled trial design.

Low-dose radiotherapy (LDRT) has been explored as a treatment option for various inflammatory diseases; however, its application in the context of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is lacking. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanism underlying LDRT-based treatment for RA and standardize it. LDRT reduced the total numbers of immune cells, but increased the apoptotic CD4+ T and B220+ B cells, in the draining lymph nodes of collagen induced arthritis and K/BxN models. In addition, it significantly reduced the severity of various pathological manifestations, including bone destruction, cartilage erosion, and swelling of hind limb ankle. Post-LDRT, the proportion of apoptotic CD4+ T and CD19 + B cells increased significantly in the PBMCs derived from human patients with RA. LDRT showed a similar effect in fibroblast-like synoviocytes as well. In conclusion, we report that LDRT induces apoptosis in immune cells and fibro-blast-like synoviocytes, contributing to attenuation of arthritis.

The extremely low frequency-electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) refers to the frequency range of 0-300 Hz. It has been reported that it causes biological effects on cell survival, growth, and function. Structural changes were observed in the cell membranes of bacteria exposed to a certain intensity of ELF-EMF, indicating that exposure of bacteria to ELF-EMF can directly affect the cell membrane and affect the survival and growth of bacteria. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the application of low frequency square wave positive voltages on Aggregatibactor actinomycetemcomitans (A. actinomycetemcomitans), a putative pathogen of periodontal disease. A square wave positive voltage output of 20 V or less at low frequency (0-300 Hz) was applied to A. actinomycetemcomitans in a range of 60 minutes. Changes in the population of bacteria were observed by absorbance measurement, colony forming unit (CFU/ml) evaluation, and high-resolution field-emission scanning electron microscopy (HR FE-SEM). The results show that the most effective offset and frequency in inhibiting bacterial growth are 0.7V and 7.83 Hz (Schumann resonance). As the applied time increased and the voltage increased, it was effective in inhibiting bacterial growth. These results led to the conclusion that bacterial growth can be inhibited even at low frequencies below 10 Hz, and it was experimentally proven that the frequency, voltage setting, and exposure time of ELF-EMF have a significant effect on reducing the growth of A. actinomycetemcomitans.

Background: Bulky or multiple lymph node (LN) metastases are associated with poor prognosis in cervical cancer, and the size or number of LN metastases is not yet reflected in the staging system and therapeutic strategy. Although the therapeutic effects of surgical resection of bulky LNs before standard treatment have been reported in several retrospective studies, wellplanned randomized clinical studies are lacking. Therefore, the aim of the Korean Gynecologic Oncology Group (KGOG) 1047/DEBULK trial is to investigate whether the debulking surgery of bulky or multiple LNs prior to concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) improves the survival rate of patients with cervical cancer IIICr diagnosed by imaging tests. Methods The KGOG 1047/DEBULK trial is a phase III, multicenter, randomized clinical trial involving patients with bulky or multiple LN metastases in cervical cancer IIICr. This study will include patients with a short-axis diameter of a pelvic or para-aortic LN ≥2 cm or ≥3 LNs with a short-axis diameter ≥1 cm and for whom CCRT is planned. The treatment arms will be randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either receive CCRT (control arm) or undergo surgical debulking of bulky or multiple LNs before CCRT (experimental arm). CCRT consists of extended-field external beam radiotherapy/pelvic radiotherapy, brachytherapy and LN boost, and weekly chemotherapy with cisplatin (40 mg/m 2 ), 4–6 times administered intravenously.The primary endpoint will be 3-year progression-free survival rate. The secondary endpoints will be 3-year overall survival rate, treatment-related complications, and accuracy of radiological diagnosis of bulky or multiple LNs.

Low-dose radiotherapy (LDRT) has been explored as a treatment option for various inflammatory diseases; however, its application in the context of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is lacking. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanism underlying LDRT-based treatment for RA and standardize it. LDRT reduced the total numbers of immune cells, but increased the apoptotic CD4+ T and B220+ B cells, in the draining lymph nodes of collagen induced arthritis and K/BxN models. In addition, it significantly reduced the severity of various pathological manifestations, including bone destruction, cartilage erosion, and swelling of hind limb ankle. Post-LDRT, the proportion of apoptotic CD4+ T and CD19 + B cells increased significantly in the PBMCs derived from human patients with RA. LDRT showed a similar effect in fibroblast-like synoviocytes as well. In conclusion, we report that LDRT induces apoptosis in immune cells and fibro-blast-like synoviocytes, contributing to attenuation of arthritis.