Quality Matters: Effect of High-Quality Early Palliative Care in Advanced Cancer.

Context: Early palliative care (EPC) is an integral treatment for advanced cancer patients, improving quality of life and symptom management, but the impact of its quality on outcomes is less understood.

Objectives: This study aimed to quantify the quality of EPC and analyze its longitudinal association with depression levels, quality of life (QoL), patient survival, and self-management strategies in patients with advanced cancer.

Methods: This secondary analysis included 144 advanced cancer patients from a randomized controlled trial in South Korea.

ITGAV Regulation of LGALS3BP-JUNB Axis Facilitates the Cell-to-Cell Adhesion and Invasiveness of Hepatic Cancer Cells.

Background/aim: is a key regulator of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression, that promotes cell adhesion, migration, and activation. However, its transcriptional regulation remains poorly understood. This study aimed to elucidate the role of , a secreted regulator of the signaling pathway, in expression and its functional implications in tumor progression.

Interaction effect of comorbid depression and proactive positivity coping strategy on the 1-year survival of patients with advanced cancer: a nationwide multicentre study in South Korea.

Background: Comorbid depression and poor performance status are associated with increased mortality and reduced quality of life in patients with advanced cancer. Coping strategies based on "proactive positivity" may facilitate adaptation to functional decline and limited life expectancy. However, few studies have examined the impact of the interaction between depressive symptoms and coping strategies on survival outcomes in this population.

FGFR4 promotes CAF activation through the CXCL10-CXCR3 axis in colon cancer.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) promote the malignant phenotype of cancer through crosstalk with tumor and immune cells within the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, the mechanisms underlying CAF activation require in-depth study to develop strategies targeting CAFs during cancer immunotherapy. In this study, we investigated the role of FGFR4 in CAF regulation in colon cancer.

Real-World Study of Systemic Treatment after First-Line Atezolizumab plus Bevacizumab for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Asia-Pacific Countries.

Introduction: Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab is a commonly used first-line regimen for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment owing to its superior outcomes compared to sorafenib. However, optimal subsequent treatment options for patients with HCC who progressed on first-line atezolizumab plus bevacizumab remain unclear.

Methods: This multinational, multi-institutional, retrospective study included patients with HCC from 22 centers in five Asia-Pacific countries who were treated with first-line atezolizumab plus bevacizumab, which was discontinued for any reason.

Claudin 18.2 expression profile in primary tumors and their ovarian metastases: implications for targeted therapy.

Background: Claudin 18.2 (CLDN18.2), a tight junction protein predominantly expressed in the normal gastric epithelium, has recently emerged as a potential therapeutic target in various solid tumors.

Combination therapy with expanded natural killer cells and atezolizumab exerts potent antitumor immunity in small cell lung cancer.

Despite an initial response to platinum-based chemotherapy, most patients with extensive stage of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) have a poor prognosis due to recurrence. Additionally, the benefit of immune checkpoint inhibitors is more modest than non-small cell lung cancer. Natural killer (NK) cells can directly eliminate cancer cells without prior sensitization; this is largely governed by inflammatory cytokines, which serve as killing signals to cancer cells.

Enhanced thrombopoiesis supplies PD-L1 to circulating immune cells via the generation of PD-L1-expressing platelets in patients with lung cancer.

Background: The increased expression of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) on a subset of immune cells in the peripheral blood has been frequently observed in patients with cancer, suggesting a relationship with PD-L1 expression in tumor tissues. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying PD-L1 expression on various types of immune cells in the peripheral blood of patients with cancer.

Methods: PD-L1 expression on various immune cell populations was analyzed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 112 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using flow cytometry.

Long-term Immunogenicity of the 13-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine during Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients with Gastric and Colorectal Cancer: A 5-year Follow-up of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: Current guidelines recommend vaccination at least two weeks before chemotherapy initiation to optimize the immune response despite limited evidence. Our previous study indicated no differences in short-term immune response for the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) according to the vaccination timing. This study aims to investigate the long-term efficacy of PCV13 and clinical factors associated with the respective antibody response.

First-line pembrolizumab-axitinib versus sunitinib in metastatic RCC: subgroup analysis of patients enrolled in the phase 3 KEYNOTE-426 in Eastern Asia.

Background: The phase 3 open-label KEYNOTE-426 study demonstrated that first-line pembrolizumab plus axitinib improved overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) versus sunitinib for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) in a global population. This subgroup analysis investigated the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab-axitinib versus sunitinib in patients enrolled in KEYNOTE-426 in East Asia (Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan).

Methods: Adults with clear cell mRCC were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive intravenous pembrolizumab 200 mg every 3 weeks with oral axitinib 5 mg twice daily or oral sunitinib 50 mg once daily (4 weeks on/2 weeks off).

A Prospective, Single-Cohort, Open, Multi-Center, Observational Study of Sublingual Fentanyl for Breakthrough Cancer Pain: Effectiveness, Safety, and Tolerability in Korean Cancer Patients.

Purpose: Fentanyl, a highly lipophilic opioid, was developed as a sublingual fentanyl tablet (SFT) for the management of breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP), and its efficacy and safety were confirmed in a randomized, controlled study. We investigated the effectiveness and safety of SFT administered to alleviate BTcP in a real-world setting.

Materials And Methods: In this prospective, open, single-cohort study, conducted in 13 referral hospitals in South Korea, opioid-tolerant cancer patients receiving around-the-clock opioids for persistent cancer pain were enrolled if the individual had BTcP ≥ 1 episode/day during the preceding week.

as a Prognostic Biomarker: Linking Copy Number Variation to EMT and Survival in Colon Cancer.

The role of biomarkers in cancer treatment varies significantly depending on the cancer stage. Thus, in clinical practice, tailoring biomarkers to meet the specific needs and challenges of each cancer stage can increase the precision of treatment. Because they reflect underlying genetic alterations that influence cancer progression, copy number variation (CNV) biomarkers can play crucial prognostic roles.

Tumor Immune Microenvironment Biomarkers for Recurrence Prediction in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer Patients after Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy.

Background/objectives: The tumor microenvironment (TME) has emerged as a significant prognostic factor. This study aimed to identify prognostic factors by combining clinicopathologic parameters and the TME biomarkers in patients who underwent surgery following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).

Methods: CD8 T cells, CXCR3, CXCL10, and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were analyzed via immunohistochemical staining.

Dynamic changes in immune cells in humanized liver metastasis and subcutaneous xenograft mouse models.

Preclinical drug efficacy and tumor microenvironment (TME) investigations often utilize humanized xenograft mouse models, yet these models typically fall short in replicating the intricate TME. We developed a humanized liver metastasis (LM) model by transplanting human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and assessed it against the conventional subcutaneous (SC) xenograft model, focusing on immune cell dynamics post-transplantation and immunotherapy response. NOD-scid IL2Rgamma(NSG) were inoculated with PBMCs to create humanized models.

Early Integrated Palliative Care in Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Limited data suggest that early palliative care (EPC) improves quality of life (QOL) and survival in patients with advanced cancer.

Objective: To evaluate whether comprehensive EPC improves QOL; relieves mental, social, and existential burdens; increases survival rates; and helps patients develop coping skills.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This nonblinded randomized clinical trial (RCT) recruited patients from 12 hospitals in South Korea from September 2017 to October 2018.

Galectin 3-binding protein (LGALS3BP) depletion attenuates hepatic fibrosis by reducing transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) availability and inhibits hepatocarcinogenesis.

Background: Increased Galectin 3-binding protein (LGALS3BP) serum levels have been used to assess hepatic fibrosis stages and the severity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Considering the crucial role of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in the emergence of these diseases, the present study tested the hypothesis that LGALS3BP regulates the TGF-β1 signaling pathway.

Methods: The expression levels of LGALS3BP and TGFB1 were analyzed in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and HCC.

Risk Factors for Impaired Cellular or Humoral Immunity after Three Doses of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine in Healthy and Immunocompromised Individuals.

We aimed to identify the risk factors for impaired cellular and humoral immunity after three doses of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Six months after the third vaccine dose, T-cell immunity was evaluated using interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) in 60 healthy and 139 immunocompromised (IC) individuals, including patients with hematologic malignancy (HM), solid malignancy (SM), rheumatic disease (RD), and kidney transplantation (KT). Neutralizing antibody titers were measured using the plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) and surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT).

Clinical prognostic factors to guide treatment strategy for HPV‑positive oropharyngeal cancer using treatment outcomes of induction chemotherapy: A real‑world experience.

The role of induction chemotherapy (IC) in locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) remains debatable, and suitable candidates for de-escalation treatment in these patients have not been fully identified. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify high-risk candidates for human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive OPC by analyzing patients who underwent IC followed by chemoradiotherapy (CRT) to guide optimal treatment strategies. Patients diagnosed with stage III-IVA OPC and treated with a minimum of two cycles of IC followed by CRT, between 2004 and 2020, were retrospectively reviewed.

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.

Developmental self-reactivity determines pathogenic Tc17 differentiation potential of naive CD8 T cells in murine models of inflammation.

The differentiation of naive CD8 T cells into effector cells is important for establishing immunity. However, the effect of heterogeneous naive CD8 T cell populations is not fully understood. Here, we demonstrate that steady-state naive CD8 T cells are composed of functionally heterogeneous subpopulations that differ in their ability to differentiate into type 17 cytotoxic effector cells (Tc17) in a context of murine inflammatory disease models, such as inflammatory bowel disease and graft-versus-host disease.

Case report: Pembrolizumab as an alternative to atezolizumab following a severe infusion reaction.

The emergence of immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has revolutionized the field of oncology, providing promising results in various malignancies. However, ICIs can sometimes lead to severe injection reactions, requiring alternative treatment options. In this case report, we introduce a case of a severe infusion reaction induced by atezolizumab.

Phase II study of nivolumab in patients with genetic alterations in DNA damage repair and response who progressed after standard treatment for metastatic solid cancers (KM-06).

Background: Immune-modulating antibodies targeting programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) have demonstrated promising antitumor efficacy in various types of cancers, especially highly mutated ones. Genetic alterations in DNA damage response and repair (DDR) genes can lead to genetic instability, often accompanied by a high tumor mutation burden (TMB). However, few studies have validated the aberration of DDR genes as a predictive biomarker for response to immune-modulating antibodies.

Comparative Study on the Immunogenicity of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines in Patients Receiving Adjuvant and Palliative Chemotherapy.

This study was conducted to investigate potential differences in vaccine efficacy between patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy and receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. Additionally, the study proved the influence of vaccination timing on vaccine efficacy during active chemotherapy. Anti-receptor-binding domain (RBD) IgG binding antibody assays and surrogate neutralizing antibody assays were performed after BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 vaccination in 45 solid cancer patients (23 adjuvant and 22 palliative chemotherapy) and in 24 healthy controls before vaccination (baseline), at every two to four weeks after the first (post-dose 1) and the second vaccination (post-dose 2).