Optimal Interval of Screening Endoscopy for Reducing Gastric Cancer Mortality: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Background And Aims: The optimal endoscopic screening interval for gastric cancer (GC) has not yet been established. We compared survival outcomes in patients with GC based on their history of endoscopic screening prior to diagnosis.

Methods: Using the Korean national insurance claims data, we identified all patients newly diagnosed with GC in 2010.

Efficacy and safety of momelotinib in Janus kinase inhibitor-experienced Asian patients with myelofibrosis and anemia.

Introduction: This post hoc analysis investigated the efficacy and safety of momelotinib in the Asian subpopulation of MOMENTUM (NCT04173494).

Methods: Patients were randomized 2:1 to momelotinib 200 mg once daily (QD) plus danazol placebo (momelotinib group) or danazol 600 mg QD plus momelotinib placebo (danazol group) for 24 weeks (W), after which they could receive open-label momelotinib or danazol.

Primary Endpoint: W24 total symptom score (TSS) response rate (≥ 50% reduction from baseline).

Azacitidine followed by R-GDP in transplant-ineligible relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: preliminary results from a multicenter, phase II study.

Background: Epigenetic priming prior to chemotherapy represents a promising treatment strategy for refractory or relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (R/R DLBCL). We conducted a phase II trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of azacitidine in combination with R-GDP (rituximab/gemcitabine/dexamethasone/cisplatin) in transplant-ineligible R/R DLBCL.

Methods: Fifteen patients were enrolled and treated with azacitidine and R-GDP regimen (NCT03719989).

Romiplostim with ciclosporin A in patients with aplastic anaemia naïve to immunosuppressive therapy: A phase 2/3 study.

Romiplostim has been shown to restore multi-lineage haematopoiesis and is effective in patients with aplastic anaemia (AA) refractory to immunosuppressive therapy (IST). This open-label, phase 2/3 study (NCT04095936) recruited adult AA patients in Japan and Korea who had not received prior IST and evaluated the efficacy and safety of romiplostim plus ciclosporin A (CsA). Romiplostim was initiated at 10 μg/kg once weekly through Week 4 and adjusted between 0 and 20 μg/kg from Week 5 onwards.

Efficacy and Safety of Ropeginterferon Alfa-2b in Low-Risk Polycythemia Vera.

Purpose: Conventional management of low-risk polycythemia vera (PV), consisting of phlebotomy and aspirin, often fails to adequately control symptoms and hematologic parameters. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of ropeginterferon alfa-2b (Ropeg) in low-risk PV patients requiring cytoreductive therapy.

Materials And Methods: In this sub-analysis of an open-label, multicenter trial, 42 patients received Ropeg for 48 weeks.

Comparable outcomes for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients receiving conditioning with total body irradiation or chemotherapy: A nationwide, Korean registry-based study.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the predominant malignancy in pediatric patients, and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) plays a critical role in high-risk cases. However, real-world nationwide data comparing the outcomes of conditioning regimens are limited. This nationwide registry-based study analyzed data from 270 Korean pediatric patients with high-risk or relapsed ALL who underwent their first allogeneic HSCT with myeloablative conditioning.

A phase 2 study of Daratumumab with Thalidomide and dexamethasone in relapsed and/or Refractory Myeloma (RRMM).

NCT03153036.

Autologous stem cell transplantation with thiotepa, busulfan, and cyclophosphamide conditioning in patients with central nervous system lymphoma: a phase II study.

The prognosis of central nervous system lymphoma (CNSL) remains poor, and attempts have been made to improve outcomes through autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) with thiotepa-based conditioning. We aimed to assess the outcomes of thiotepa/busulfan/cyclophosphamide (TBC) followed by ASCT in CNSL. An investigator-initiated, single-arm, phase II trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TBC/ASCT (NCT06625359).

Prognostic Landscape of TP53 Mutations in Hematologic Malignancies.

Purpose: While TP53 mutations are well known to be associated with adverse prognosis in hematological diseases, their functional impact remains incompletely understood. This study examines the spectrum of TP53 mutations across various hematologic malignancies and evaluates their functional impact.

Materials And Methods: Using targeted sequencing panels, we analyzed TP53 mutations in the bone marrow aspiration samples of a retrospective cohort of 856 patients diagnosed with hematologic malignancies.

Incidence and Characteristics of Infectious Complications in Multiple Myeloma Patients Treated With Bispecific Antibodies.

Background: Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) are a new class of immunotherapeutic agents for patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Although this new class of drug is associated with good disease control, they are also associated with increased risk of infectious complications. Since endemic community-acquired and nosocomial infections vary across the globe, we conducted this study to report real-world data of infectious complications associated with BsAbs in Korean population.

Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Pediatric and Young Adult Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Era: A Study of the Korean Blood and Marrow Transplantation Registry.

Purpose: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in children, adolescents, and young adults is rare and differs from older adults. This study evaluated the outcomes of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in young Korean CML patients during the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) era.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective analysis of 35 CML patients aged <40 years who underwent allogeneic HSCT from 2009 to 2019 was conducted using Korean Blood and Marrow Transplantation Registry data.

Impact of induction regimens on stem cell mobilization yields in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is integral to treating newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM). While novel therapies improve response rates, they also hinder stem cell mobilization. This study evaluates the impacts of induction regimens on mobilization, collection, and ASCT outcomes.

Bortezomib, melphalan, and prednisone with or without daratumumab in transplant-ineligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (ALCYONE): final analysis of an open-label, randomised, multicentre, phase 3 trial.

Background: In the phase 3 ALCYONE study, the addition of daratumumab to bortezomib, melphalan, and prednisone (D-VMP) significantly improved outcomes in transplant-ineligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Here, we present results from the final analysis of ALCYONE.

Methods: ALCYONE was an international, multicentre, randomised, open-label, active-controlled, phase 3 trial in adults aged 18 years or older with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who were ineligible for high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem-cell transplantation, because of their age (≥65 years) or presence of substantial comorbidities, and had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2.

Hematologic and molecular responses to ropeginterferon alfa-2b therapy of polycythemia vera: 48-week results from a prospective study.

To prevent thrombosis in patients with polycythemia vera (PV), achieving a complete hematologic response (CHR) is highly recommended in practice. In addition, a reduced JAK2 V617F mutation burden is expected to have a disease-modifying effect, and its molecular response (MR) is currently of significant interest. This study aimed to assess the association between CHR and MR in patients with PV following treatment with ropeginterferon alfa-2b.

Clonal hematopoiesis: elements associated with clonal expansion and diseases.

Clonal hematopoiesis (CH), characterized by the expansion of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells harboring somatic mutations, has emerged as a significant age-related phenomenon with profound implications for human health. While initially recognized in the 1960s, recent technological advances have revealed its complex nature and widespread prevalence, affecting up to 84% of individuals aged ≥ 70 years. The clinical significance of CH extends beyond its well-established role as a precursor to hematological malignancies, encompassing its association with cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, and other non-malignant disorders.

Evidence-based Korean guidelines for the clinical management of multiple myeloma: addressing 12 key clinical questions.

Multiple myeloma (MM), a hematological malignancy, is characterized by malignant plasma cell proliferation in the bone marrow. Recent treatment advances have significantly improved patient outcomes associated with MM. In this study, we aimed to develop comprehensive, evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of MM.

Pharmacokinetic characterization and exposure-response relationship of crovalimab in the COMMODORE 1, 2 and 3 and COMPOSER trials of patients with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria.

Aims: Crovalimab is a novel C5 inhibitor administered first intravenously and then subcutaneously in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) naive to complement inhibition or switching from eculizumab or ravulizumab. Crovalimab showed efficacy and safety comparable to eculizumab in the pivotal COMMODORE 2 and supporting studies.

Methods: We characterized crovalimab pharmacokinetics and the relationship between exposure pharmacokinetic parameters and pharmacodynamic biomarkers, efficacy and safety endpoints using pooled data (healthy volunteers [n = 9], naive [n = 210] and switched [n = 211] patients).

Increased local DNA methylation disorder in AMLs with DNMT3A-destabilizing variants and its clinical implication.

The mechanistic link between the complex mutational landscape of de novo methyltransferase DNMT3A and the pathology of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has not been clearly elucidated so far. Motivated by a recent discovery of the significance of DNMT3A-destabilizing mutations (DNMT3A) in AML, we here investigate the common characteristics of DNMT3A AML methylomes through computational analyses. We present that methylomes of DNMT3A AMLs are considerably different from those of DNMT3A AMLs in that they exhibit increased intratumor DNA methylation heterogeneity in bivalent chromatin domains.

Talquetamab plus Teclistamab in Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma.

Background: Talquetamab (anti-G protein-coupled receptor family C group 5 member D) and teclistamab (anti-B-cell maturation antigen) are bispecific antibodies that activate T cells by targeting CD3 and that have been approved for the treatment of triple-class-exposed relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

Methods: We conducted a phase 1b-2 study of talquetamab plus teclistamab in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. In phase 1, we investigated five dose levels in a dose-escalation study.

Evidence-based clinical recommendations for hypofractionated radiotherapy: exploring efficacy and safety - Part 4: Liver and locally recurrent rectal cancer.

In this paper, we review the use of hypofractionated radiotherapy for gastrointestinal malignancies, focusing on primary and metastatic liver cancer, and recurrent rectal cancer. Technological advancements in radiotherapy have facilitated the direct delivery of high-dose radiation to tumors, while limiting normal tissue exposure, supporting the use of hypofractionation. Hypofractionated radiotherapy is particularly effective for primary and metastatic liver cancer where high-dose irradiation is crucial to achieve effective local control.

Real-World Effectiveness and Safety of Intravenous Daratumumab in Patients with Multiple Myeloma: A Multicenter, Observational Study from Korea.

Purpose: Daratumumab is a novel, first-in-class monoclonal antibody approved for use as monotherapy and in combination with other treatments for patients with multiple myeloma (MM). The aim of this observational study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of daratumumab in real-world clinical practice.

Materials And Methods: This observational multicenter study collected data from patients with MM treated in Korea between June 1, 2018, and February 28, 2022.

Efficacy and Safety of Bispecific T-Cell Engagers in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma: A Real-World Data-Based Case-Controlled Study.

Although bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE) is a promising treatment for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM), it needs to be evaluated in a real-world setting. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of BiTEs compared with a synthetic standard of care (SOC). From a multicenter registry database of 474 patients with RRMM who received third- or more advanced-line treatments between January 2021 and October 2023, 1:1 propensity score-matched BiTE cohort (n = 71) and SOC cohort (n = 71) were established.

MG4101, an allogeneic natural killer cell, in patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia: a pilot study.

We evaluated the safety and efficacy of allogeneic, ex-vivo expanded, NK cells, MG4101, in patients with refractory or relapsed AML. The relationship between immunological characteristics and clinical responses was analyzed. Between April 2018 and February 2020, 11 patients (male:female = 5:6) were treated with MG4101.