Impact of the 2024 medical-policy conflict on hepatocellular carcinoma management in Korea.

In 2024, a nationwide conflict between the South Korean government and the medical community, the medical-policy conflict, profoundly impacted healthcare delivery. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following this crisis. We analyzed retrospective real-world data from university hospitals in the Seoul metropolitan area, supplemented with national healthcare data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service.

A Novel Liver-Specific Pseudogene Biomarker, BMS1P8, for Diagnosis and Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Despite advances in therapeutic approaches, the lack of effective biomarkers continues to limit early detection and prognostic evaluation. Pseudogenes, once considered nonfunctional, have emerged as regulators of biological processes in tumors and as potential biomarkers.

as a Liver-Specific Biomarker for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Diagnostic and Prognostic Implications.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) critically lacks reliable biomarkers for early detection. By mining the TCGA_LIHC and two GEO cohorts, we identified the liver-specific long non-coding RNA as the most consistently down-regulated transcript in tumors. This finding was validated in 97 paired tissues, with expression lost in 95% of cases (*** < 0.

Expert survey on systemic therapy indications for hepatocellular carcinoma in Korea: bridging clinical practice and reimbursement criteria.

This survey aimed to collect expert opinions from multidisciplinary specialists involved in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Korea regarding real-world criteria for systemic therapy indications. In response to discrepancies between national reimbursement policies and clinical decision-making, members of the Korean Liver Cancer Association and Korean Association for the Study of the Liver participated in a web-based survey from February 4 to 14, 2025. A total of 89 respondents, primarily experienced clinicians, provided their views on major clinical scenarios including infiltrative HCC, bilobar multifocal disease, huge tumors, vascular invasion, extrahepatic metastasis, and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) refractoriness.

Human LY9 governs CD4 T cell IFN-γ immunity to .

CD4 T cells are indispensable for optimal immunity to (), a pathogen that triggers tuberculosis (TB) in humans. -specific human CD4 T cells are known to polarize toward an interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-producing, CCR4CCR6CXCR3T-betRORγT T helper 1* cell (T1*cell) memory phenotype. We report that autosomal recessive deficiency of the human lymphocytic surface receptor LY9 (SLAMF3 and CD229), which is found in less than 10 individuals in the general population, underlies TB in three unrelated patients due to selective impairment in IFN-γ production by T1* cells.

PDH Inhibition in Ameliorates Sensory Dysfunction Induced by Vincristine Treatment in the Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Models.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a significant dose-limiting side effect of many effective anticancer agents, including vincristine. While CIPN adversely affects both oncological outcomes and the quality of life for cancer patients, the in vivo mechanisms behind CIPN pathology remain largely unknown, and effective treatments have yet to be developed. In this study, we established a novel model of CIPN using vincristine to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying this condition.

Caregiver behavioral changes mediate the effects of naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions: Combining evidence from three randomized controlled trials.

Naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions target developmentally appropriate skills in young children with autism spectrum disorders using behavioral techniques in naturalistic interactions. Naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions demonstrate strong empirical support and frequently utilize caregiver training of intervention strategies. However, our understanding of the mechanisms of change linked to naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions remains limited.

GULP1 as a novel diagnostic and predictive biomarker in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background/aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by high recurrence and mortality, necessitating the identification of reliable biomarkers. In this study, we aimed to identify the predictive gene signatures for HCC recurrence and evaluate the efficiency of GULP PTB domain-containing engulfment adaptor 1 (GULP1) as a predictive and diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for HCC.

Methods: We analyzed genomic datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases via least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression and 10-fold cross-validation, leading to the development of a 15-gene risk score model, which was validated using three independent datasets.

Baseline Alpha-Fetoprotein Elevation and the Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Chronic Hepatitis B: A Multicentre Cohort Study.

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level and its changes in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) may influence the risk of future hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aims to evaluate the HCC risk in CHB patients with no overt HCC but with elevated AFP level and to explore the prognostic role of longitudinal changes in AFP and liver-related laboratory values. This multicentre cohort study included 10,639 CHB patients without a history of HCC from seven medical facilities in South Korea.

[Experiences of Patients and Their Families Receiving Medical Services Provided by Advanced Practice Nurses at Tertiary General Hospitals].

Purpose: This study aimed to understand and describe the experiences of patients and their families who have received medical services from advanced practice nurses in tertiary general hospitals in Korea.

Methods: Data were collected through four focus group interviews with 20 patients and their families who had received medical services from advanced practice nurses for more than six months at four tertiary hospitals from November 29 to December 28, 2023. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

Effect of Sortilin1 on promoting angiogenesis and systemic metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma via the Notch signaling pathway and CD133.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is known to be lethal disease. However, its prognosis remains poor, primarily because the precise oncogenic mechanisms underlying HCC progression remain elusive, thus hampering effective treatment. Here, we aimed to identify the potential oncogenes in HCC and elucidate the underlying mechanisms of their action.

Tuberculosis in otherwise healthy adults with inherited TNF deficiency.

Severe defects in human IFNγ immunity predispose individuals to both Bacillus Calmette-Guérin disease and tuberculosis, whereas milder defects predispose only to tuberculosis. Here we report two adults with recurrent pulmonary tuberculosis who are homozygous for a private loss-of-function TNF variant. Neither has any other clinical phenotype and both mount normal clinical and biological inflammatory responses.

Adverse events of herbal decoction: A systematic review and meta-analysis over past 10 years.

Background: Herbal decoctions (HDs) are the oldest and most common herbal medicine formulations. Different HDs exist, and some consumers are concerned that they may become contaminated during manufacturing. Therefore, the need for a safety assessment of HDs has been raised.

The Impact of Statins on the Survival of Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Sorafenib or Lenvatinib.

We aimed to evaluate the survival benefits of coadministering statins and multityrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service in Korea (2010-2020) were utilized. Statin use (≥28 cumulative defined daily doses) was analyzed, with 1534 statin users matched to 6136 non-users (1:4 ratio) using propensity scores.

Long-term prognosis after decoronation of avulsed teeth with replacement resorption: a report of three cases.

The complications of replacement resorption following tooth injury in growing children include infrapositioning of the tooth, tilting of the adjacent teeth, and alveolar ridge deformity. Decoronation is a conservative treatment method that facilitates bone preservation. The current case report focuses on the long-term preservation of alveolar ridge dimension following decoronation in three patients.

Impact of guideline adherence on the prognosis of Barcelona clinic liver cancer stage B hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Patients with Barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) stage B hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are considerably heterogeneous in terms of tumor burden, liver function, and performance status. To improve the poor survival outcomes of these patients, treatment approaches other than transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), which is recommended by HCC guidelines, have been adopted in real-world clinical practice. We hypothesize that this non-adherence to treatment guidelines, particularly with respect to the use of liver resection, improves survival in patients with stage B HCC.