Purpose: The Korean Cancer Study Group (KCSG) is a nationwide cancer clinical trial group dedicated to advancing investigator-initiated trials (IITs) by conducting and supporting clinical trials. This study aims to review IITs conducted by KCSG and quantitatively evaluate the survival and financial benefits of IITs for patients. Materials and Methods: We reviewed IITs conducted by KCSG from 1998 to 2023, analyzing progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) gains for participants. PFS and OS benefits were calculated as the difference in median survival times between the intervention and control groups, multiplied by the number of patients in the intervention group. Financial benefits were assessed based on the cost of investigational products provided. Results: From 1998 to 2023, KCSG conducted 310 IITs, with 133 completed and published. Of these, 21 were included in the survival analysis. The analysis revealed that 1,951 patients in the intervention groups gained a total of 2,558.4 months (213.2 years) of PFS and 2,501.6 months (208.5 years) of OS, with median gains of 1.31 months in PFS and 1.58 months in OS per patient. When analyzing only statistically significant results, PFS and OS gain per patients was 1.69 months and 3.02 months, respectively. Investigational drug cost analysis from six available IITs indicated that investigational products provided to 252 patients were valued at 10,400,077,294 won (approximately 8,046,481 US dollars), averaging about 41,270,148 won (approximately 31,930 US dollars) per patient. Conclusion Our findings, based on analysis of published research, suggest that IITs conducted by KCSG led to survival benefits for participants and, in some studies, may have provided financial benefits by providing investment drugs.

Purpose: The Korean Cancer Study Group (KCSG) is a nationwide cancer clinical trial group dedicated to advancing investigator-initiated trials (IITs) by conducting and supporting clinical trials. This study aims to review IITs conducted by KCSG and quantitatively evaluate the survival and financial benefits of IITs for patients. Materials and Methods: We reviewed IITs conducted by KCSG from 1998 to 2023, analyzing progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) gains for participants. PFS and OS benefits were calculated as the difference in median survival times between the intervention and control groups, multiplied by the number of patients in the intervention group. Financial benefits were assessed based on the cost of investigational products provided. Results: From 1998 to 2023, KCSG conducted 310 IITs, with 133 completed and published. Of these, 21 were included in the survival analysis. The analysis revealed that 1,951 patients in the intervention groups gained a total of 2,558.4 months (213.2 years) of PFS and 2,501.6 months (208.5 years) of OS, with median gains of 1.31 months in PFS and 1.58 months in OS per patient. When analyzing only statistically significant results, PFS and OS gain per patients was 1.69 months and 3.02 months, respectively. Investigational drug cost analysis from six available IITs indicated that investigational products provided to 252 patients were valued at 10,400,077,294 won (approximately 8,046,481 US dollars), averaging about 41,270,148 won (approximately 31,930 US dollars) per patient. Conclusion Our findings, based on analysis of published research, suggest that IITs conducted by KCSG led to survival benefits for participants and, in some studies, may have provided financial benefits by providing investment drugs.

Purpose: The Korean Cancer Study Group (KCSG) is a nationwide cancer clinical trial group dedicated to advancing investigator-initiated trials (IITs) by conducting and supporting clinical trials. This study aims to review IITs conducted by KCSG and quantitatively evaluate the survival and financial benefits of IITs for patients. Materials and Methods: We reviewed IITs conducted by KCSG from 1998 to 2023, analyzing progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) gains for participants. PFS and OS benefits were calculated as the difference in median survival times between the intervention and control groups, multiplied by the number of patients in the intervention group. Financial benefits were assessed based on the cost of investigational products provided. Results: From 1998 to 2023, KCSG conducted 310 IITs, with 133 completed and published. Of these, 21 were included in the survival analysis. The analysis revealed that 1,951 patients in the intervention groups gained a total of 2,558.4 months (213.2 years) of PFS and 2,501.6 months (208.5 years) of OS, with median gains of 1.31 months in PFS and 1.58 months in OS per patient. When analyzing only statistically significant results, PFS and OS gain per patients was 1.69 months and 3.02 months, respectively. Investigational drug cost analysis from six available IITs indicated that investigational products provided to 252 patients were valued at 10,400,077,294 won (approximately 8,046,481 US dollars), averaging about 41,270,148 won (approximately 31,930 US dollars) per patient. Conclusion Our findings, based on analysis of published research, suggest that IITs conducted by KCSG led to survival benefits for participants and, in some studies, may have provided financial benefits by providing investment drugs.

For most shoulder surgeons, addressing massive rotator cuff tears that have retracted ends poses a significant challenge. This study introduces a technique, termed the “sandwich augmentation technique,” which incorporates the long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT) into a single-row rotator cuff repair. The procedure, performed arthroscopically with the patient in the lateral decubitus position, involves attaching the LHBT and rotator cuff tissues together to the greater tuberosity. This effectively sandwiches them within the rotator cuff footprint. The goal of this technique is to enhance the thickness of the fully interposed cuff margin, thereby providing better support for the repair. The sandwich augmentation technique, which integrates the biceps into the rotator cuff repair, has demonstrated positive clinical outcomes and moderate anatomical results. It also prevents superior migration of the humeral head in cases of large or massive rotator cuff tears. Further research is required to assess the long-term effectiveness of this procedure.

For most shoulder surgeons, addressing massive rotator cuff tears that have retracted ends poses a significant challenge. This study introduces a technique, termed the “sandwich augmentation technique,” which incorporates the long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT) into a single-row rotator cuff repair. The procedure, performed arthroscopically with the patient in the lateral decubitus position, involves attaching the LHBT and rotator cuff tissues together to the greater tuberosity. This effectively sandwiches them within the rotator cuff footprint. The goal of this technique is to enhance the thickness of the fully interposed cuff margin, thereby providing better support for the repair. The sandwich augmentation technique, which integrates the biceps into the rotator cuff repair, has demonstrated positive clinical outcomes and moderate anatomical results. It also prevents superior migration of the humeral head in cases of large or massive rotator cuff tears. Further research is required to assess the long-term effectiveness of this procedure.

For most shoulder surgeons, addressing massive rotator cuff tears that have retracted ends poses a significant challenge. This study introduces a technique, termed the “sandwich augmentation technique,” which incorporates the long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT) into a single-row rotator cuff repair. The procedure, performed arthroscopically with the patient in the lateral decubitus position, involves attaching the LHBT and rotator cuff tissues together to the greater tuberosity. This effectively sandwiches them within the rotator cuff footprint. The goal of this technique is to enhance the thickness of the fully interposed cuff margin, thereby providing better support for the repair. The sandwich augmentation technique, which integrates the biceps into the rotator cuff repair, has demonstrated positive clinical outcomes and moderate anatomical results. It also prevents superior migration of the humeral head in cases of large or massive rotator cuff tears. Further research is required to assess the long-term effectiveness of this procedure.

For most shoulder surgeons, addressing massive rotator cuff tears that have retracted ends poses a significant challenge. This study introduces a technique, termed the “sandwich augmentation technique,” which incorporates the long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT) into a single-row rotator cuff repair. The procedure, performed arthroscopically with the patient in the lateral decubitus position, involves attaching the LHBT and rotator cuff tissues together to the greater tuberosity. This effectively sandwiches them within the rotator cuff footprint. The goal of this technique is to enhance the thickness of the fully interposed cuff margin, thereby providing better support for the repair. The sandwich augmentation technique, which integrates the biceps into the rotator cuff repair, has demonstrated positive clinical outcomes and moderate anatomical results. It also prevents superior migration of the humeral head in cases of large or massive rotator cuff tears. Further research is required to assess the long-term effectiveness of this procedure.

Background/Aims: This study aimed to review the indications, methods, cooperation, complications, and outcomes of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). Methods: Questionnaires were sent to 200 hospitals, of which 62 returned their questionnaires, with a response rate of approximately 30%. Descriptive statistics were calculated to analyze the responses to the questionnaires. Results: In 2019, a total of 1,052 PEGs were performed in 1,017 patients at 62 hospitals. The main group who underwent PEG was older adult patients with brain disease, particularly stroke.Nutritional supply was an important purpose of the PEG procedure. “The pull method” was the most commonly used for initial PEG insertion. The complications related to PEG were mostly mild, with leakage being the most common. Patients who underwent PEG procedures were primarily educated regarding the post-procedure management and complications related to PEG.Preoperative meetings were skipped at >50% of the institutions. Regarding the cooperation between the nutrition support team (NST) and the physician performing PEG, few endoscopists answered that they cooperated with NST before and after PEG. Moreover, the rate of NST certification obtained by physicians performing PEG and the frequency of attendance at NST-related conferences were relatively low. Conclusions This study shows a similar trend to that found in the previous PEG guidelines.However, it covers new aspects, including team-based work for PEG procedure, nutrition support, and education for patients and guardians. Therefore, each medical institution needs to select an appropriate method considering the medical environment and doctor’s abilities.

Background/Aims: H2 receptor antagonists (H2RA) have been used to treat gastritis by inhibiting gastric acid. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are more potent acid suppressants than H2RA.However, the efficacy and safety of low-dose PPI for treating gastritis remain unclear. The aim was to investigate the efficacy and safety of low-dose PPI for treating gastritis. Methods: A double-blind, noninferiority, multicenter, phase 3 clinical trial randomly assigned 476 patients with endoscopic erosive gastritis to a group using esomeprazole 10 mg (DW1903) daily and a group using famotidine 20 mg (DW1903R1) daily for 2 weeks. The full-analysis set included 319 patients (DW1903, n=159; DW1903R1, n=160) and the per-protocol set included 298 patients (DW1903, n=147; DW1903R1, n=151). The primary endpoint (erosion improvement rate) and secondary endpoint (erosion and edema cure rates, improvement rates of hemorrhage, erythema, and symptoms) were assessed after the treatment. Adverse events were compared. Results: According to the full-analysis set, the erosion improvement rates in the DW1903 and DW1903R1 groups were 59.8% and 58.8%, respectively. According to the per-protocol analysis, the erosion improvement rates in the DW1903 and DW1903R1 groups were 61.9% and 59.6%, respectively. Secondary endpoints were not significantly different between two groups except that the hemorrhagic improvement rate was higher in DW1903 with statistical tendency. The number of adverse events were not statistically different. Conclusions DW1903 of a low-dose PPI was not inferior to DW1903R1 of H2RA. Thus, lowdose PPI can be a novel option for treating gastritis (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05163756).

Background: The obesity epidemic is associated with the emergence of new kidney diseases including obesity-related glomerulopathy (ORG) and metabolic syndrome-associated disorders. However, the effects of obesity on prevalence and outcome of biopsy-proven kidney disease are not well known. Methods: We analyzed 14,492 kidney biopsies in 18 hospitals from 1979 to 2018 in Korea.Obesity was defined as a body mass index value of ≥ 30 kg/m 2 . Results: The most common disease was IgA nephropathy (IgAN) in both obese and nonobese participants (33.7% vs. 38.9%). Obesity was associated with a higher risk of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and hypertensive nephropathy (HT-N) (odds ratio [OR], 1.72, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.37–2.17; OR, 1.96, 95% CI, 1.21–3.19) and a lower risk of IgAN (OR, 0.74, 95% CI, 0.62–0.88). During the median follow up of 93.1 ± 88.7 months, obesity increased the risk of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in patients with IgAN (relative risk [RR], 1.49, 95% CI, 1.01–2.20) and lupus nephritis (LN) (RR, 3.43, 95% CI, 1.36–8.67). Of 947 obese individuals, ORG was detected in 298 (31.5%), and 230 participants had other kidney diseases, most commonly, IgAN (40.9%) followed by diabetic nephropathy (15.2%). Participants with ORG, when combined with other renal diseases, showed higher risks for developing ESKD compared to those with ORG alone (RR, 2.48, 95% CI, 1.09–5.64). Conclusion Obesity is associated with an increased risk of FSGS and HT-N, and also increase the ESKD risk in IgAN and LN patients. ORG in obese participants may have favorable renal outcomes if it occurs alone without any other renal disease.