Nivolumab Plus Chemotherapy Versus Placebo Plus Chemotherapy in Korean Patients with HER2-Negative, Untreated, Unresectable Advanced or Recurrent Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer: Subgroup Analysis of a Randomized, Multicenter, Double-Blind Phase 3 Trial (ATTRACTION-4).

Purpose: We report the safety and efficacy of nivolumab + chemotherapy for first-line treatment of advanced or recurrent gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer in the Korean subpopulation of the ATTRACTION-4 clinical trial.

Materials And Methods: ATTRACTION-4 (NCT02746796) was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of patients aged ≥20 years with histologically confirmed unresectable advanced or recurrent gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer. Patients received nivolumab or placebo, both combined with physician-choice chemotherapy (oxaliplatin plus oral S-1 [tegafur‒gimeracil‒oteracil] [SOX] or oral capecitabine [CAPOX]).

Non-Operative Management of Rectal Cancer with Adjuvant Chemotherapy after Chemoradiotherapy (NORMANDY): Prospective Study.

Purpose: Non-operative management (NOM) has emerged as a promising organ-preserving strategy for patients with rectal cancer who achieve a clinical complete response (cCR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). However, no standardized treatment protocol has been established for watch-and-wait strategies.

Materials And Methods: This prospective study evaluated oncological outcomes of NOM combined with four months of adjuvant capecitabine.

Significant Dissatisfaction with the Anachronistic System: A Survey on The Experience of Application for Off-Label Use of Anti-Cancer Drugs by Korean Society of Medical Oncology.

Purpose: This study evaluates the experiences and satisfaction levels of Korean medical oncologists with the prior authorization system for the off-label use of anti-cancer drugs. Conducted by the Korean Society of Medical Oncology (KSMO), the survey aimed to identify challenges and areas for improvement in the current regulatory framework.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was carried out between May 4 and May 14, 2023, targeting 261 active KSMO medical oncologists.

Conversion Therapy for Stage IV Gastric Cancer: Report From the Expert Consensus Meeting at KINGCA WEEK 2024.

Conversion therapy is a treatment strategy that shifts from palliative systemic therapy to curative surgical treatment for primary and/or metastatic stage IV gastric cancer (GC). To address its clinical statements, the Korean Gastric Cancer Association aims to present a consensus on conversion therapy among experts attending KINGCA WEEK 2024. The KINGCA Scientific Committee and Development Working Group for Korean Practice Guidelines prepared preformulated topics and 9 clinical statements for conversion therapy.

Risk of malignant lymphoma in patients with previous tuberculosis infection: a cohort study.

Tuberculosis (TB) is associated with chronic inflammation, which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various malignancies, including lung cancer. However, the relationship between TB and hematological malignancies like lymphoma remains less understood. This study aimed to investigate risks of incident malignant lymphoma according to previous TB infection in a large prospective cohort of 347,204 individuals.

Efficacy of transdermal buprenorphine patch for managing withdrawal symptoms in patients with cancer physically dependent on prescription opioids.

Background: The physical dependence on prescription opioids among cancer survivors remains an under-investigated area, with a scarcity of well-designed prospective studies.

Methods: This single-arm, phase-2 clinical trial in Korea assessed the efficacy and safety of a transdermal buprenorphine patch (TBP) in managing physical dependence on prescription opioids in cancer survivors, as confirmed through the DSM-5 criteria or psychiatric consultation for opioid withdrawal. This study involved a 4-phase treatment protocol of screening, induction/stabilization, discontinuation, and monitoring.

Varlitinib and Paclitaxel for EGFR/HER2 Co-expressing Advanced Gastric Cancer: A Multicenter Phase Ib/II Study (K-MASTER-13).

Purpose: Varlitinib is a pan-human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) inhibitor targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and HER4. We present a phase Ib/II study of a combination of varlitinib and weekly paclitaxel as a second-line treatment for patients with EGFR/HER2 co-expressing advanced gastric cancer (AGC).

Materials And Methods: Patients whose tumors with EGFR and HER2 overexpression by immunohistochemistry (≥ 1+) were enrolled.

Real-world outcomes of third-line immune checkpoint inhibitors versus irinotecan-based chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer: a Korean, multicenter study (KCSG ST22-06).

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) or irinotecan-based chemotherapy is frequently used after failure of second-line paclitaxel plus ramucirumab treatment for patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic advanced gastric cancer (AGC). This study aimed to compare the efficacy between ICI and irinotecan-based chemotherapy as third-line treatment in patients with AGC.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients with AGC, whose third-line treatment started between July 2019 and June 2021 at 17 institutions in Korea.

Second-line chemoimmunotherapy with nivolumab and paclitaxel in immune-related biomarker-enriched advanced gastric cancer: a multicenter phase Ib/II study.

Background: We conducted a trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of nivolumab and paclitaxel as second-line therapy for immune-related biomarker-enriched advanced gastric cancer (AGC).

Methods: This open-label, single-arm, phase Ib/II study was a part of multi-institutional, biomarker-integrated umbrella study conducted in Korea. In phase Ib, patients received nivolumab (3 mg/kg) on Days 1 and 15 and paclitaxel (dose level 1, 70 mg/m or dose level 2, 80 mg/m) on Days 1, 8, 15 every four weeks.

Open-Label, Multicenter, Randomized, Biomarker-Integrated Umbrella Trial for Second-Line Treatment of Advanced Gastric Cancer: K-Umbrella Gastric Cancer Study.

Purpose: This study aimed to screen targeted agents as second-line treatment with a standard-of-care (SOC) controlled umbrella trial design in advanced gastric cancer (AGC).

Patients And Methods: Patients with HER2-negative AGC from eight Korean cancer centers were screened for druggable targets using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization, and randomly assigned to the biomarker versus control group at a 4:1 ratio. In the biomarker group, patients were treated with specific targeted agent plus paclitaxel: pan-ERBB inhibitor for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) 2+/3+ patients (afatinib; EGFR cohort), PIK3Cβ inhibitor for phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) loss/null patients (GSK2636771; PTEN cohort), and anti-PD-1 inhibitor for PD-L1+, deficient mismatch repair/microsatellite instability-high, or Epstein-Barr virus-related cases (nivolumab; NIVO cohort).

A Phase 3 Randomized Clinical Trial to Compare Efficacy and Safety between Combination Therapy and Monotherapy in Elderly Patients with Advanced Gastric Cancer (KCSG ST13-10).

Purpose: This study evaluated whether combination therapy is more effective than monotherapy in elderly patients with metastatic or recurrent gastric cancer (MRGC) as first-line chemotherapy.

Materials And Methods: Elderly (≥ 70 years) chemo-naïve patients with MRGC were allocated to receive either combination therapy (group A: 5-fluorouracil [5-FU]/oxaliplatin, capecitabine/oxaliplatin, capecitabine/cisplatin, or S-1/cisplatin) or monotherapy (group B: 5-FU, capecitabine, or S-1). In group A, starting doses were 80% of standard doses, and they could be escalated to 100% at the discretion of the investigator.

Progranulin and Breast Cancer Mortality: 13-Year Follow-Up of a Cohort Study.

Background: We have reported that serum progranulin (PGRN) levels are clinically significant in predicting recurrence in patients with HR-positive breast cancer. The aim of the present study was to examine whether PGRN levels might be associated with breast cancer mortality.

Methods: This was a cohort study of 695 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients who underwent curative surgery between 2001 and 2004.

A Multicenter, Prospective, Observational Study to Evaluate Ethanol-Induced Symptoms in Patients Receiving Docetaxel Chemotherapy.

Purpose: Several previous studies and case reports have reported ethanol-induced symptoms in patients receiving anticancer drugs containing ethanol. Most docetaxel formulations contain ethanol as a solvent. However, there are insufficient data on ethanol-induced symptoms when docetaxel-containing ethanol is administered.

Evaluation of Pretreatment Albumin-Bilirubin Grade as a Better Prognostic Factor Compared to Child-Pugh Classification in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Receiving Transarterial Chemoembolization Combined with Radiotherapy.

This study assessed the use of pretreatment albumin--bilirubin (ALBI) grade as a prognostic factor in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) receiving combined transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and radiotherapy (RT). Patients who underwent RT following TACE between January 2011 and December 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. The survival outcomes of patients in regard to the ALBI grade and Child-Pugh (C-P) classification were evaluated.

Predicting tolerability of high-dose fentanyl buccal tablets in cancer patients.

Background & Aims: Fentanyl buccal tablets (FBTs) are a rapid-onset opioid indicated for breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP) and FBT titration is needed to optimize BTcP management. We aimed to predict which patients could tolerate a high dose of FBT (400 μg or more at a time).

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed to assess the final FBT dose.

A Pilot Study of Peritumor Administration of 5-FU for Preventing Bleeding in Advanced Gastric Cancer.

Five-FU is a potent chemotherapeutic agent for suppressing endothelial cell growth. The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of local peritumor injection of 5-FU for patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC) for the prevention of anemia. Between January 2020 and January 2022, patients aged 18 years or older with AGC and moderate anemia were included.

Impact of cumulative hyperglycemic burden on the pancreatic cancer risk: A nationwide cohort study.

Aims: We aimed to investigate how much cumulative hyperglycemia exposure increases pancreatic cancer risk.

Methods: This study used the National Health Insurance Service Database of Claims and included 3,138,099 individuals who underwent four consecutive annual health screenings between 2009 and 2013. We defined hyperglycemic burden in two ways.

Potential anticancer effect of sodium caprate on human gastric cancer cells.

The role of sodium caprate (C) in enhancing drug absorption is well established; however, little information is available on its role as an anticancer drug. This study aimed to evaluate the anticancer effect of C in gastric cancer cells. The mechanism of cytotoxicity of C was evaluated by western blotting following treatment of the gastric cancer cells with various concentrations of C.

Clinical outcomes and prognostic factors of cone-beam CT-guided radiofrequency ablation for pulmonary metastases in colorectal cancer patients.

Aim: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been increasingly used for the treatment of pulmonary metastases in various malignancies.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed to establish the safety and efficacy of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)-guided RFA in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer between 2016 and 2019, and the prognostic factors of local tumor control were assessed.

Results: A total of 31 patients with colorectal cancer underwent 48 sessions of lung RFA.

New prognostic model for patients with advanced gastric cancer: Fluoropyrimidine/platinum doublet for first-line chemotherapy.

Background: New prognostic factors have been reported in patients with metastatic or recurrent gastric cancer (MRGC), necessitating modifications to the previous prognostic model.

Aim: To develop a new model, MRGC patients who received fluoropyrimidines/ platinum doublet chemotherapy between 2008 and 2015 were analyzed.

Methods: A total of 1883 patients was divided into a training set ( = 937) and an independent validation set ( = 946).

Prospective multicentre randomised clinical trial comparing survival rates, quality of life and nutritional status between advanced gastric cancer patients with different follow-up intensities: study protocol for the STOFOLUP trial.

Introduction: Patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer are regularly followed-up for the early detection of recurrence and postoperative symptom management. However, there is a lack of evidence with regard to proper surveillance intervals and diagnostic tools. This study aims to evaluate whether frequent surveillance tests have a survival benefit or improve the quality of life in patients who underwent curative resection for advanced gastric cancer.