Background and Objectives: We analyzed the data of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) patients who had transoral surgery with/without adjuvant therapy and experienced recurrence. From the data, the treatment outcomes and prognostic factors of recurrent OPSCC were evaluated, and the predictive factors related to successful salvage treatment were identified.Subjects and Method We used data from patients who were diagnosed with OPSCC and received transoral surgery at the hospital from January 2005 to December 2019. Results: The 5-year survival rate of patients with recurrent OPSCC was 43.9%. The predictors of successful salvage treatment were adjuvant therapy and the p16 status. The 5-year survival rate following salvage treatment for patients who had recurrent OPSCC and also tested p16-positive was 64%; however, it was only 30% for patients who had recurrent OPSCC and tested p16-negative. The 5-year survival rate was 22% for patients who received adjuvant therapy and 64% for those who did not receive it. Conclusion In OPSCC patients who recurred after transoral surgery with/without adjuvant therapy, the salvage treatment success rate was 45%. In recurrent cancer, the HPV status was an important factor associated with successful salvage treatment, as the success rate of salvage treatment was remarkably high in patients who did not receive adjuvant therapy. Thus, we verified that it is crucial to conduct an initial surgery with clear margins and determine the optimal criteria for adjuvant therapy.

Background and Objectives: We analyzed the data of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) patients who had transoral surgery with/without adjuvant therapy and experienced recurrence. From the data, the treatment outcomes and prognostic factors of recurrent OPSCC were evaluated, and the predictive factors related to successful salvage treatment were identified.Subjects and Method We used data from patients who were diagnosed with OPSCC and received transoral surgery at the hospital from January 2005 to December 2019. Results: The 5-year survival rate of patients with recurrent OPSCC was 43.9%. The predictors of successful salvage treatment were adjuvant therapy and the p16 status. The 5-year survival rate following salvage treatment for patients who had recurrent OPSCC and also tested p16-positive was 64%; however, it was only 30% for patients who had recurrent OPSCC and tested p16-negative. The 5-year survival rate was 22% for patients who received adjuvant therapy and 64% for those who did not receive it. Conclusion In OPSCC patients who recurred after transoral surgery with/without adjuvant therapy, the salvage treatment success rate was 45%. In recurrent cancer, the HPV status was an important factor associated with successful salvage treatment, as the success rate of salvage treatment was remarkably high in patients who did not receive adjuvant therapy. Thus, we verified that it is crucial to conduct an initial surgery with clear margins and determine the optimal criteria for adjuvant therapy.

Background and Objectives: We analyzed the data of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) patients who had transoral surgery with/without adjuvant therapy and experienced recurrence. From the data, the treatment outcomes and prognostic factors of recurrent OPSCC were evaluated, and the predictive factors related to successful salvage treatment were identified.Subjects and Method We used data from patients who were diagnosed with OPSCC and received transoral surgery at the hospital from January 2005 to December 2019. Results: The 5-year survival rate of patients with recurrent OPSCC was 43.9%. The predictors of successful salvage treatment were adjuvant therapy and the p16 status. The 5-year survival rate following salvage treatment for patients who had recurrent OPSCC and also tested p16-positive was 64%; however, it was only 30% for patients who had recurrent OPSCC and tested p16-negative. The 5-year survival rate was 22% for patients who received adjuvant therapy and 64% for those who did not receive it. Conclusion In OPSCC patients who recurred after transoral surgery with/without adjuvant therapy, the salvage treatment success rate was 45%. In recurrent cancer, the HPV status was an important factor associated with successful salvage treatment, as the success rate of salvage treatment was remarkably high in patients who did not receive adjuvant therapy. Thus, we verified that it is crucial to conduct an initial surgery with clear margins and determine the optimal criteria for adjuvant therapy.

Background and Objectives: We analyzed the data of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) patients who had transoral surgery with/without adjuvant therapy and experienced recurrence. From the data, the treatment outcomes and prognostic factors of recurrent OPSCC were evaluated, and the predictive factors related to successful salvage treatment were identified.Subjects and Method We used data from patients who were diagnosed with OPSCC and received transoral surgery at the hospital from January 2005 to December 2019. Results: The 5-year survival rate of patients with recurrent OPSCC was 43.9%. The predictors of successful salvage treatment were adjuvant therapy and the p16 status. The 5-year survival rate following salvage treatment for patients who had recurrent OPSCC and also tested p16-positive was 64%; however, it was only 30% for patients who had recurrent OPSCC and tested p16-negative. The 5-year survival rate was 22% for patients who received adjuvant therapy and 64% for those who did not receive it. Conclusion In OPSCC patients who recurred after transoral surgery with/without adjuvant therapy, the salvage treatment success rate was 45%. In recurrent cancer, the HPV status was an important factor associated with successful salvage treatment, as the success rate of salvage treatment was remarkably high in patients who did not receive adjuvant therapy. Thus, we verified that it is crucial to conduct an initial surgery with clear margins and determine the optimal criteria for adjuvant therapy.

Background and Objectives: We analyzed the data of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) patients who had transoral surgery with/without adjuvant therapy and experienced recurrence. From the data, the treatment outcomes and prognostic factors of recurrent OPSCC were evaluated, and the predictive factors related to successful salvage treatment were identified.Subjects and Method We used data from patients who were diagnosed with OPSCC and received transoral surgery at the hospital from January 2005 to December 2019. Results: The 5-year survival rate of patients with recurrent OPSCC was 43.9%. The predictors of successful salvage treatment were adjuvant therapy and the p16 status. The 5-year survival rate following salvage treatment for patients who had recurrent OPSCC and also tested p16-positive was 64%; however, it was only 30% for patients who had recurrent OPSCC and tested p16-negative. The 5-year survival rate was 22% for patients who received adjuvant therapy and 64% for those who did not receive it. Conclusion In OPSCC patients who recurred after transoral surgery with/without adjuvant therapy, the salvage treatment success rate was 45%. In recurrent cancer, the HPV status was an important factor associated with successful salvage treatment, as the success rate of salvage treatment was remarkably high in patients who did not receive adjuvant therapy. Thus, we verified that it is crucial to conduct an initial surgery with clear margins and determine the optimal criteria for adjuvant therapy.

Purpose: The purpose of this phase II trial was to evaluate whether the addition of simvastatin, a synthetic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor, to preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with capecitabine confers a clinical benefit to patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). Materials and Methods: Patients with LARC (defined by clinical stage T3/4 and/or lymph node positivity) received preoperative radiation (45-50.4 Gy in 25-28 daily fractions) with concomitant capecitabine (825 mg/m2 twice per day) and simvastatin (80 mg, daily). Curative surgery was planned 4-8 weeks after completion of the CRT regimen. The primary endpoint was pathologic complete response (pCR). The secondary endpoints included sphincter-sparing surgery, R0 resection, disease-free survival, overall survival, the pattern of failure, and toxicity. Results: Between October 2014 and July 2017, 61 patients were enrolled; 53 patients completed CRT regimen and underwent total mesorectal excision. The pCR rate was 18.9% (n=10) by per-protocol analysis. Sphincter-sparing surgery was performed in 51 patients (96.2%). R0 resection was achieved in 51 patients (96.2%). One patient experienced grade 3 liver enzyme elevation. No patient experienced additional toxicity caused by simvastatin. Conclusion The combination of 80 mg simvastatin with CRT and capecitabine did not improve pCR in patients with LARC, although it did not increase toxicity.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the scale, characteristics, risk factors, and modes of transmission in a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak at a high school in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Methods: An epidemiological survey was conducted of 1,118 confirmed cases and closecontacts from a COVID-19 outbreak at an educational facility starting on May 31, 2021. Indepth interviews, online questionnaires, flow evaluations, and CCTV analyses were used todevise infection prevention measures. Behavioral and spatial risk factors were identified, and statistical significance was tested. Results: Among 3rd-year students, there were 33 confirmed COVID-19 cases (9.6%). Students who used a study room in the annex building showed a statistically significant 4.3-foldelevation in their relative risk for infection compared to those who did not use the study room. Moreover, CCTV facial recognition analysis confirmed that 17.8% of 3rd-year students did not wear masks and had the lowest percentage of mask-wearers by grade. The air epidemiological survey conducted in the study room in the annex, which met the 3 criteria for a closed space, confirmed that there was only 10% natural ventilation due to the poor ventilation system. Conclusion To prevent and manage the spread of COVID-19 in educational facilities, advance measures that consider the size, operation, and resources of each school are crucial. In addition, various survey methodologies should be used in future studies to quickly analyze a wider range of data that can inform an evidence-based quarantine response.

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: A chronic disease management program including patient education, recall and remind service, and reduction of out-of-pocket payment was implemented in Korea through a chronic care model. This study aimed to assess the effect of a community-based intervention program for improving medication adherence of patients with diabetes mellitus in rural areas of Korea. Methods: We applied a non-equivalent control group design using Korean National Health Insurance Big Data. Hongcheon County has been continuously adopting this program since 2012 as an intervention region. Hoengseong County did not adopt such program. It was used as a control region. Subjects were a cohort of patients with diabetes mellitus aged more than 65 years but less than 85 years among residents for 11 years from 2010 to 2020. After 1:1 matching, there were 368 subjects in the intervention region and 368 in the control region. Indirect indicators were analyzed using the difference-in-difference regression according to Andersen’s medical use model. Results: The increasing percent point of diabetic patients who continuously received insurance benefits for more than 240 days from 2010 to 2014 and from 2010 to 2020 were 2.6%p and 2.7%p in the intervention region and 3.0%p and 3.9%p in the control region, respectively. The number of dispensations per prescription of diabetic patient in the intervention region increased by approximately 4.61% by month compared to that in the control region. Conclusion The intervention program encouraged older people with diabetes mellitus to receive continuous care for overcoming the rule of halves in the community. More research is needed to determine whether further improvement in the continuity of comprehensive care can prevent the progression of cardiovascular diseases.