Screening-Detected versus Interval Lung Cancer in the Biennial Korean National Lung Cancer Screening Program: Proportion, Characteristics, and Mortality.

Introduction: Interval lung cancers (ILCs) are key indicators of lung cancer screening (LCS) performance. However, data on the proportion, characteristics, and mortality of ILCs under biennial screening in Asian populations remain limited.

Methods: We analyzed participants from the baseline biennial Korean national LCS program between 2019 and 2020.

Protocol for isolation and flow cytometric analysis of interstitial macrophages in murine lung metastasis models.

Interstitial macrophages increase significantly during lung metastasis and may contribute to tumor dissemination. However, isolating them is challenging due to their localization within lung tissue and phenotypic overlap with other immune cells. Here, we present a protocol for isolating and characterizing murine interstitial macrophages.

Comparative Analysis of Vehicles for the Regeneration of Mouse Endometrial Damage Model.

Background: Endometrial damage is a critical factor contributing to infertility, particularly in women with refractory thin endometrium or intrauterine adhesions. Therefore, developing innovative therapeutic strategies for endometrial regeneration is essential. This study evaluates the regenerative potential of endometrial stromal cell (EMSC) injection and EMSC-loaded patch application in a mouse model with ethanol-induced endometrial damage.

Improving HER2 Diagnostics with Digital Real-Time PCR for Ultrafast, Precise Prediction of Anti-HER2 Therapy Response in Patients with Breast Cancer.

While human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2) has emerged as a tumor-agnostic biomarker, standard HER2 testing for anti-HER2 therapies using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) assays remains subjective, time-consuming, and often inaccurate. To address these limitations, an ultrafast and precise HER2 testing method is developed using Lab-On-An-Array (LOAA) digital real-time PCR (drPCR), a fully automated digital PCR enabling real-time absolute quantification. A multicenter study involving four independent breast cancer cohorts cross-validates the high diagnostic accuracy of drPCR-based HER2 assessment.

Syllable-based speech characteristics as potential biomarker for differential diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, multiple system atrophy, and cerebellar ataxia.

Speech disorders differ between Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA), but studies focusing on group differences based on syllables or including cerebellar ataxia (CA) are lacking until now. This cross-sectional study aimed to analyze syllable-based speech characteristics in patients with PD, MSA, and CA, as well as healthy controls, to determine their diagnostic utility. Speech samples were collected from 68 PD, 52 MSA, 23 CA, and 70 healthy controls.

Gut microbial production of imidazole propionate drives Parkinson's pathologies.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the selective degeneration of midbrain dopaminergic neurons and aggregation of α-synuclein. Emerging evidence implicates the gut microbiome in PD, with microbial metabolites proposed as potential pathological mediators. However, the specific microbes and metabolites involved, and whether gut-derived metabolites can reach the brain to directly induce neurodegeneration, remain unclear.

A phase 2 randomized, placebo-controlled study on the efficacy and safety of AR1001, a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor, in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.

Background: AR1001 is a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor that produces improved cognitive performance and reduces amyloid-β and phosphorylated tau burdens in preclinical models of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Objectives: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of AR1001 in participants with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial conducted at 21 sites in the United States.

Addressing Frailty in Cardiology: Identifying Barriers Faced by Cardiologists and Health Care Professionals in Asia.

Background: Preventing frailty is crucial for improving outcomes in aging populations at heightened cardiovascular risk, yet implementation in real-world practice remains challenging. The authors previously reported low use of frailty strategies among cardiologists in Asia.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the barriers to frailty implementation among cardiologists, other physicians, and nurses.

Prognostic Value of A/T/N Biomarkers: Comparing Plasma and Imaging Modalities in Alzheimer Disease.

Background: Alzheimer disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid-β plaques (A), tau tangles (T), and neurodegeneration (N), collectively defining the ATN framework. While imaging biomarkers are well-established, the prognostic value of plasma biomarkers in predicting cognitive decline remains underexplored. This study compares plasma and imaging A/T/N biomarkers in predicting cognitive decline and evaluate the impact of combining biomarkers across modalities.

Clinical Utility of Salivary Steroid Profiling for the Differential Diagnosis of Adrenal Diseases.

Context: Although salivary steroid sampling offers several advantages, the diagnostic potential of salivary steroid metabolites remains largely unexplored.Objective To evaluate the diagnostic utility of salivary steroid profiling in patients with adrenal diseases.

Design: Prospective multicenter study.

Alternative Surveillance Improves Outcomes by Detecting Early-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients.

Background/aims: Current guidelines recommend biannual ultrasound for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. However, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used when ultrasound is inadequate. The clinical impact of these alternative modalities remains unclear.

Appropriate extent of lymph node dissection in patients with muscle-invasive gallbladder cancer.

Background: The appropriate extent of lymph node dissection has not yet been standardized in muscle-invasive gallbladder cancer.

Methods: Patients who underwent surgery, and were histologically diagnosed with muscle-invasive gallbladder cancer were included. Patients were classified as having Na, Nb, or Nc disease if their nodal metastases were limited to the porta hepatis and extended to the posterosuperior pancreatic head lymph nodes (PSPLNs), nodes along the celiac axis, or superior mesenteric vessels.

The Clinical Impact of Intravascular Imaging-Guided Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients with High Thrombus Burden.

Despite the established clinical efficacy following intravascular imaging (IVI)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) than angiography-guided PCI, evidence regarding prognostic benefits of IVI-guided PCI in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with high thrombus burden remains limited. Using the nationwide registries of KAMIR-NIH and KAMIR-V, we evaluated the prognostic impact of IVI-guided PCI in AMI patients with high thrombus burden. A total of 4,074 patients with AMI and TIMI thrombus grades 4 or 5 who underwent aspiration thrombectomy were selected, of whom 892 patients (21.

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.

Recommendation for use of a long-acting monoclonal antibody to prevent respiratory syncytial virus infection in infants and young children.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in infants and young children. In April 2024, the Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approved nirsevimab (Beyfortus), a long-acting monoclonal antibody, as a passive immunization to prevent RSV-associated LRTI among infants and young children. Nirsevimab was launched in Korea in February 2025.

Long-Term Prognostic Value and Analytical Parameters of the Next-Generation Sequencing-Based Multigene Assay in Hormone Receptor-Positive, HER2-Negative Breast Cancer.

Purpose: In hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer, gene expression testing facilitates treatment decisions. A next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based assay was developed to address test decentralization and underrepresentation of younger/premenopausal patients. We aimed to validate the long-term prognostic value of the NGS-based assay and analyze its quality control (QC) parameters.

Healthy Behaviors and All-cause Mortality among Korean Gastric Cancer Survivors.

Purpose: The incidence, prevalence and survival rates of gastric cancer are high, and the prognostic effects of healthy behaviors among survivors have not been well investigated. Therefore, We aimed to assess the effects of postdiagnosis healthy behaviors and behavior changes after gastric cancer diagnosis on all-cause mortality.

Materials And Methods: As a population-based retrospective cohort study, we used a cancer public library sample DB of gastric cancer patients between 2012 and 2019.

Genome-wide polygenic risk score for estimated glomerular filtration slope predicts chronic kidney disease in a Taiwanese population.

Background: Kidney function decline is associated with cardiovascular disease and various other morbidities. Previous studies regarding polygenic risk scores of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) change were generally based on individuals of European ancestry and not validated on populations of East Asian ancestry.

Methods: We conducted a genome-wide association study for eGFR slope among 26,755 non-diabetic individuals from the Taiwan Biobank.

Development of a prediction tool for kidney function decline in children with chronic kidney disease.

Background: A paucity of literature exists on the development of predictive tools for the decline of kidney function in pediatric chronic kidney disease (CKD). The objective of this study is to develop and internally validate a tool for the short-term prediction of a kidney function decline in pediatric patients with CKD.

Methods: A total of 539 patients participating in the KNOW-PedCKD (KoreaN cohort study for Outcomes in patients With Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease) were evaluated for 48 variables related to sociodemographic characteristics, laboratory data, and treatment use.

Left ventricular geometry and the risk of heavy coronary artery calcification in patients with pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease: the KoreaN Cohort Study for Outcome in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease (KNOW-CKD).

Background: The association between abnormal left ventricular geometry (LVG) patterns and the presence of coronary artery calcification is unclear in patients with CKD.

Methods: A total of 2,038 patients with pre-dialysis CKD at stages 1 to 5 were categorized by LVG patterns, which were echocardiographically determined by the presence or absence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and relative wall thickness (RWT): normal, concentric remodeling, eccentric LVH, and concentric LVH. The study outcome was the presence of heavy coronary artery calcification, which is defined as coronary artery calcium score >1,000 Agatston units.

Prognostic value of signet-ring cell carcinoma proportion in undifferentiated gastric cancer: Implications for endoscopic treatment decisions.

Background: Poorly cohesive gastric carcinomas are classified based on the proportion of signet-ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) components. In surgically resected gastric cancer, SRCC is diagnosed when the signet-ring cell (SRC) component constitutes ≥ 50% of the entire tumor, whereas poorly cohesive carcinoma (PCC) not otherwise specified is diagnosed when the proportion of the SRC component is < 50% of the entire tumor. The SRCC proportion in PCC varies along the spectrum, and its prognostic significance in gastric cancer remains unclear.

Methodology for Assessing Patient Centricity and Data Integrity in Clinical Trials With Decentralized Elements: A Pilot Trial on Mastic Gum.

Decentralized elements enhanced patient centricity by shifting trial-related activities outside traditional trial sites. On the other hand, remote data collection poses potential risks to data integrity. Although these two are critical aspects of decentralized elements, methodologies for assessing them remain limited.