Purpose: Treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) vary according to known guidelines among liver resection (LR), liver transplantation (LT), radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). This study aimed to compare the outcomes of initial treatment for patients with resectable HCC within Milan criteria (MC) via nationwide data. Methods: Patients with resectable HCC (Child-Pugh class A; platelet count, ≥100,000/μL) within MC from the Korean Liver Cancer Association databank were analyzed, retrospectively. Outcomes according to initial treatment and subgroups according to tumor size and number were analyzed. Overall survival (OS) rates after initial treatment were compared. Results: A total of 3,241 patients who underwent LR (n = 1,371), LT (n = 12), RFA (n = 679), or TACE (n = 1,179) were included. The 5-year OS rates differed significantly between the groups (P < 0.05), except for LT (LR, 84.9%; LT, 82.5%;RFA, 76.2%; and TACE, 59.9%). For patients with a single tumor of any size, the 5-year OS rates of the LR group were significantly higher than RFA and TACE groups. For patients with multiple tumors, the 5-year OS rates were 78.2%, 100%, 74.3%, and 53.0% for the LR, LT, RFA, and TACE groups, respectively, but without significant difference between LR and RFA (P = 0.86). Conclusion For resectable HCC within MC, the LR had the highest OS rate for a single tumor of any size. LR and RFA showed no significant differences in OS rate for multiple tumors. LR has a much more optimistic outlook for HCC within MC.

Purpose: Treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) vary according to known guidelines among liver resection (LR), liver transplantation (LT), radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). This study aimed to compare the outcomes of initial treatment for patients with resectable HCC within Milan criteria (MC) via nationwide data. Methods: Patients with resectable HCC (Child-Pugh class A; platelet count, ≥100,000/μL) within MC from the Korean Liver Cancer Association databank were analyzed, retrospectively. Outcomes according to initial treatment and subgroups according to tumor size and number were analyzed. Overall survival (OS) rates after initial treatment were compared. Results: A total of 3,241 patients who underwent LR (n = 1,371), LT (n = 12), RFA (n = 679), or TACE (n = 1,179) were included. The 5-year OS rates differed significantly between the groups (P < 0.05), except for LT (LR, 84.9%; LT, 82.5%;RFA, 76.2%; and TACE, 59.9%). For patients with a single tumor of any size, the 5-year OS rates of the LR group were significantly higher than RFA and TACE groups. For patients with multiple tumors, the 5-year OS rates were 78.2%, 100%, 74.3%, and 53.0% for the LR, LT, RFA, and TACE groups, respectively, but without significant difference between LR and RFA (P = 0.86). Conclusion For resectable HCC within MC, the LR had the highest OS rate for a single tumor of any size. LR and RFA showed no significant differences in OS rate for multiple tumors. LR has a much more optimistic outlook for HCC within MC.

Purpose: Treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) vary according to known guidelines among liver resection (LR), liver transplantation (LT), radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). This study aimed to compare the outcomes of initial treatment for patients with resectable HCC within Milan criteria (MC) via nationwide data. Methods: Patients with resectable HCC (Child-Pugh class A; platelet count, ≥100,000/μL) within MC from the Korean Liver Cancer Association databank were analyzed, retrospectively. Outcomes according to initial treatment and subgroups according to tumor size and number were analyzed. Overall survival (OS) rates after initial treatment were compared. Results: A total of 3,241 patients who underwent LR (n = 1,371), LT (n = 12), RFA (n = 679), or TACE (n = 1,179) were included. The 5-year OS rates differed significantly between the groups (P < 0.05), except for LT (LR, 84.9%; LT, 82.5%;RFA, 76.2%; and TACE, 59.9%). For patients with a single tumor of any size, the 5-year OS rates of the LR group were significantly higher than RFA and TACE groups. For patients with multiple tumors, the 5-year OS rates were 78.2%, 100%, 74.3%, and 53.0% for the LR, LT, RFA, and TACE groups, respectively, but without significant difference between LR and RFA (P = 0.86). Conclusion For resectable HCC within MC, the LR had the highest OS rate for a single tumor of any size. LR and RFA showed no significant differences in OS rate for multiple tumors. LR has a much more optimistic outlook for HCC within MC.

This report presents the latest statistics on the stroke population in South Korea, sourced from the Clinical Research Collaborations for Stroke in Korea-National Institute for Health (CRCS-K-NIH), a comprehensive, nationwide, multicenter stroke registry. The Korean cohort, unlike western populations, shows a male-to-female ratio of 1.5, attributed to lower risk factors in Korean women. The average ages for men and women are 67 and 73 years, respectively.Hypertension is the most common risk factor (67%), consistent with global trends, but there is a higher prevalence of diabetes (35%) and smoking (21%). The prevalence of atrial fibrillation (19%) is lower than in western populations, suggesting effective prevention strategies in the general population. A high incidence of large artery atherosclerosis (38%) is observed, likely due to prevalent intracranial arterial disease in East Asians and advanced imaging techniques.There has been a decrease in intravenous thrombolysis rates, from 12% in 2017–2019 to 10% in 2021, with no improvements in door-to-needle and door-to-puncture times, worsened by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. While the use of aspirin plus clopidogrel for noncardioembolic stroke and direct oral anticoagulants for atrial fibrillation is well-established, the application of direct oral anticoagulants for non-atrial fibrillation cardioembolic strokes in the acute phase requires further research. The incidence of early neurological deterioration (13%) and the cumulative incidence of recurrent stroke at 3 months (3%) align with global figures. Favorable outcomes at 3 months (63%) are comparable internationally, yet the lack of improvement in dependency at 3 months highlights the need for advancements in acute stroke care.

Background: This study investigated the impact of premorbid functional dependency on post-stroke mortality in patients with anterior circulation stroke (ACS) and posterior circulation stroke (PCS). Methods: This study enrolled 9,698 patients who experienced ischemic stroke between January 2011 and December 2022. The patients were classified into the ACS and PCS groups. Premorbid functional dependency was defined as modified Rankin Scale of ≥3. The risks of premorbid functional dependency and mortality at 3 months and 1-year post-stroke were assessed. A subgroup analysis was further performed to evaluate the risk of premorbid functional dependency in patients who underwent intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular treatment (EVT). Results: Among 6,358 patients with ACS and 3,340 with PCS, those with premorbid dependency were older, predominantly female, and had a higher proportion of vascular risk factors and stroke severity. Premorbid functional dependency was associated with increased mortality at both 3 months and 1 year in the PCS (odds ratio [OR], 1.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00–3.13; P=0.04 and OR, 2.87; 95% CI, 1.86–4.38; P<0.001, respectively), but not in the ACS (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.77–1.51; P=0.639 and OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.93–1.59; P=0.140, respectively) group. Among patients who underwent EVT, premorbid functional dependency increased the risk of mortality at 1 year in the ACS group (OR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.04–3.08; P=0.034), but was not associated with the risk in the PCS group (OR 2.56; 95% CI 0.64–10.15; P=0.176). Conclusion Premorbid functional dependency increases the risk of mortality in patients with PCS.

Celosia cristata , belongs to Amaranthaceae family, has been utilized in many traditional medicinal systems to treat hemostasis, eye and mouth inflammation, and gynecological diseases. The various physiological investigations on C. cristata have documented its antibacterial, antioxidant, antifungal, and antihepatotoxic properties. During the research program aimed at isolating bioactive constituents from the medicinal plants, the aerial parts of C. cristata were extracted using 80% EtOH, then sequentially partitioned with n-hexane, CH 2 Cl 2 , and EtOAc. The CH 2 Cl 2 -soluble fraction demonstrated inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells, with an IC50 value of 24.7 μg/mL. The CH 2 Cl 2 -soluble fraction was subjected to a series of chromatographic techniques, such as Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, MPLC, and preparative HPLC. As a result, seven known norisoprenoids (1–7) were isolated, and the structures were determined through the analysis of spectroscopic data, especially 1D NMR, 2D NMR, and HR-ESI-MS. Dehydrovomifoliol (2), 3-hydroxy-4,7-megastigmadien-9-one (6), and 9-hydroxy-4,7-megastigmadien-3-one (7) exhibited inhibitory effects on LPS-induced nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 macrophages with IC50 values of 17.7–24.4 μM.

Purpose: Studies on intestinal Behçet’s disease (BD) complicated by myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) are rare, and no established therapeutic guidelines exist. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical presentation and outcomes of patients with intestinal BD complicated by MDS (intestinal BD–MDS) and suggest a treatment strategy. Materials and Methods: Data from patients with intestinal BD–MDS from four referral centers in Korea who were diagnosed between December 2000 and December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical features and prognosis of intestinal BD–MDS compared with age-, sex-matched intestinal BD without MDS were investigated. Results: Thirty-five patients with intestinal BD–MDS were included, and 24 (70.6%) had trisomy 8. Among the 35 patients, 23 (65.7%) were female, and the median age at diagnosis for intestinal BD was 46.0 years (range, 37.0–56.0 years). Medical treatments only benefited eight of the 32 patients, and half of the patients underwent surgery due to complications. Compared to 70 matched patients with intestinal BD alone, patients with intestinal BD–MDS underwent surgery more frequently (51.4% vs. 24.3%; p=0.010), showed a poorer response to medical and/or surgical treatment (75.0% vs. 11.4%; p<0.001), and had a higher mortality (28.6% vs. 0%; p<0.001). Seven out of 35 patients with intestinal BD–MDS underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), and four out of the seven patients had a poor response to medical treatment prior to HSCT, resulting in complete remission of both diseases. Conclusion Patients with intestinal BD–MDS frequently have refractory diseases with high mortalities. HSCT can be an effective treatment modality for medically refractory patients with intestinal BD–MDS.

Background/Aims: We performed a prospective study to determine the efficacy and safety of rituximab including chemotherapy in CD20-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Methods: Patients with newly diagnosed ALL, aged ≥ 15 years, were eligible for the study if their leukemic blast cells in bone marrow expressed CD20 ≥ 20% at the time of diagnosis. Patients received multiagent chemotherapy with rituximab. After achieving complete remission (CR), patients received five cycles of consolidation with concomitant rituximab. Rituximab was administered monthly from day 90 of transplantation for patients who received allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Results: In patients with Philadelphia (Ph)-negative ALL, 39 of 41 achieved CR (95.1%), the 2- and 4-year relapse-free survival (RFS) rates were 50.4% and 35.7%, and the 2- and 4-year overall survival (OS) rates were 51.5% and 43.2%, respectively. In the group with Ph-positive ALL, all 32 patients achieved CR, the 2- and 4-year RFS rates were 60.7% and 52.1%, and the 2- and 4-year OS rates were 73.3% and 52.3%, respectively. In the Ph-negative ALL group, patients with higher CD20 positivity experienced more favorable RFS (p < 0.001) and OS (p = 0.06) than those with lower CD20 positivity. Patients who received ≥ 2 cycles of rituximab after transplantation had significantly improved RFS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.31; p = 0.049) and OS (HR, 0.29; p = 0.021) compared with those who received < 2 cycles. Conclusions The addition of rituximab to conventional chemotherapy for CD20-positive ALL is effective and tolerable (Clinicaltrials. gov NCT01429610).

Background: Recent studies suggest that MEK1/2 inhibitors, including binimetinib, significantly improve malignant melanoma (MM) patient survival. Growing evidence suggests that phytochemicals, especially curcumin, can overcome drug resistance in cancer cells through a variety of mechanisms. Objective: This study aims to examine curcumin’s efficacy in vitro combined with binimetinib in human MM cells. Methods: We used 2D monolayer and 3D spheroid human epidermal melanocyte culture models, HEMn-MP (human epidermal melanocytes, neonatal, moderately pigmented), and two human MM cell lines, G361 and SK-MEL-2, to evaluate cell viability, proliferation, migration, death, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production following single therapy treatment, with either curcumin or binimetinib, or a combination of both. Results: Compared to MM cells treated with single therapy, those with combination therapy showed significantly decreased cell viability and increased ROS production. We observed apoptosis following both single and combination therapies. However only those who had had combination therapy had necroptosis. Conclusion Collectively, our data demonstrates that curcumin exerts significant synergistic anticancer effects on MM cells by inducing ROS and necroptosis when combined with binimetinib. Therefore, a strategy of adding curcumin to conventional anticancer agents holds promise for treating MM.