Quality of life outcomes in terminal cancer patients attending regional cancer centers in South Korea: protocol for a prospective cohort study.

Introduction: Patients with cancer experience physical, mental, and social pain that affects themselves and their families. The increasing cancer incidence and advances in treatment have increased the number of cancer survivors in Korea, and there is an influx of patients in Seoul and other metropolitan areas, leading to shortages of continuous care and comprehensive life support facilities. Patients must travel long distances for treatment, which poses logistical and quality-of-life challenges.

The Survival and Financial Benefit of Investigator-Initiated Trials Conducted by Korean Cancer Study Group.

Purpose: The Korean Cancer Study Group (KCSG) is a nationwide cancer clinical trial group dedicated to advancing investigator-initiated trials (IITs) by conducting and supporting clinical trials. This study aims to review IITs conducted by KCSG and quantitatively evaluate the survival and financial benefits of IITs for patients.

Materials And Methods: We reviewed IITs conducted by KCSG from 1998 to 2023, analyzing progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) gains for participants.

Abdominal aortic calcification in patients newly diagnosed with essential thrombocythemia.

Background: Although atherosclerosis is likely to be involved in the development of arterial thrombotic events in patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET), abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) has rarely been investigated. We evaluated the prevalence and clinical relevance of AAC at the time of ET diagnosis.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients newly diagnosed with ET who underwent abdominal computed tomography (CT) at the time of diagnosis between January 2002 and December 2021 at Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.

Comparison of first-line treatment with CHOP versus ICED in patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma eligible for upfront autologous stem cell transplantation.

Introduction: Upfront autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has been recommended for patients who are newly diagnosed with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), and CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone), an anthracycline-based chemotherapy has been the frontline chemotherapy for PTCL. However, it is not clear whether anthracycline-based chemotherapies such as CHOP could be standard induction therapy for PTCL.

Methods: We conducted a randomized phase II study to compare CHOP with fractionated ifosfamide, carboplatin, etoposide, and dexamethasone (ICED) for patients eligible for ASCT.

Maintenance therapy with Fluoropyrimidine and cetuximab or bevacizumab after first line FOLFOX-chemotherapy in metastatic colorectal cancer according to RAS or BRAF mutation status.

Purpose: Fluoropyrimidine (FP) with oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy is the standard first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC); however, oxaliplatin-induced neuropathy critically affects the quality of life of patients. Maintenance strategies with FP plus bevacizumab have been well-established; nonetheless, the real-world outcomes of maintenance therapy with FP and cetuximab are unclear. We investigated the clinical outcomes of patients who underwent maintenance therapy with cetuximab.

Efficacy of cisplatin combined with vinorelbine as second- or higher-line palliative chemotherapy in patients with advanced ovarian cancer.

The aim of this study was to assess the therapeutic efficacy of a cisplatin and vinorelbine combination as second- or higher-line palliative chemotherapy in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with advanced ovarian cancer who were treated with cisplatin (60 mg/m2 on day 1) and vinorelbine (25 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8) every 3 weeks between January 2004 and March 2021. Treatment responses, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were assessed; laboratory data were reviewed to determine toxicity.

Acquired von willebrand syndrome in patients with philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasm.

Background: Acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AVWS) has not been investigated in Korean patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative myeloproliferative neoplasm.

Methods: This study analyzed the prevalence at diagnosis and clinical features of AVWS in patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET), polycythemia vera (PV), prefibrotic/early primary myelofibrosis (pre-PMF), or overt PMF (PMF) diagnosed between January 2019 and December 2021 at Chungam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea. AVWS was defined as below the lower reference limit (56%) of ristocetin cofactor activity (VWF:RCo).

Comparison of Treatment Patterns and Clinical Outcomes by Gender in Locally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (KCSG HN13-01).

We aimed to compare treatment modalities and outcomes by gender in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA-HNSCC). We characterized the sex-specific differences and compared the overall survival (OS) between male and female patients in a multicenter cohort of LA-HNSCC. To minimize the observed confounding, propensity score matching was utilized.

Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test With Comorbidity Index Before Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Purpose: To evaluate the role of the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) with comorbidity index as a predictor of overall survival (OS) and non-relapse mortality (NRM) in patients with hematological malignancies who undergo allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed consecutive adult patients with hematological malignancies who underwent HLA-matched donor-HSCT at Chungnam National University Hospital (Daejeon, South Korea) between January 2014 and December 2020. Maximal oxygen consumption (VOmax) was classified using the recommendations of the Mayo Clinic database.

Splenic Infarction in Patients with Philadelphia-negative Myeloproliferative Neoplasms.

Objective We retrospectively analyzed the prevalence and clinical features of splenic infarctions in patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (Ph MPNs). Patients Patients diagnosed with essential thrombocythemia (ET), polycythemia vera (PV), prefibrotic/early primary myelofibrosis (pre-PMF), or PMF from January 1996 to October 2020 in Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea, were reviewed. Results A total of 347 patients (143 ET, 129 PV, 44 pre-PMF, and 31 PMF patients; 201 men and 146 women) with a median age of 64 (range 15-91) years old were followed up for a median of 4.

Volumetric Splenomegaly in Patients With Polycythemia Vera.

Background: Non-palpable splenomegaly in patients with polycythemia vera (PV) has seldom been addressed. In this retrospective study, we evaluated non-palpable, volumetric splenomegaly defined based on age- and body surface area (BSA)-matched criteria in patients with PV diagnosed according to the 2016 World Health Organization diagnostic criteria.

Methods: Patients with PV who underwent abdominal computed tomography (CT) and who had palpable splenomegaly at diagnosis from January 1991 to December 2020 at Chungnam National University Hospital were enrolled.

Myelofibrotic and leukemic transformation in 2016 WHO-defined Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasm.

Background: Information on myelofibrotic and leukemic transformations in Korean Philadelphia chromosome- negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (Ph MPNs) is limited.

Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed transformations in patients diagnosed with essential thrombocythemia (ET), polycythemia vera (PV) prefibrotic/early primary myelofibrosis (pre-PMF), or overt primary myelofibrosis (PMF) based on the 2016 World Health Organization criteria between January 1996 and December 2020 at Chungam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.

Results: A total of 351 patients (144 with ET, 131 with PV, 45 with pre-PMF, and 31 with PMF; 204 men and 147 women) with a median age of 64 years (range, 15‒91 years) were followed for a median of 4.

Pulmonary hypertension in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia.

Dasatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), induces pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). However, information on other TKIs is limited.We retrospectively analyzed PH prevalence by reviewing transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) findings in a population of Korean CML patients treated with TKI at a single hospital between 2003 and 2020.

Significance of descriptive symptoms and signs and clinical parameters as predictors of neuropathic cancer pain.

Purpose: Evaluation of symptoms and signs for the management of neuropathic cancer pain (NCP) is challenging. This study aimed to identify clinical predictors of NCP and symptoms and signs most relevant of those in Korean patients.

Methods: This nationwide, descriptive, cross-sectional, multicenter, observational study included 2,003 cancer patients aged ≥20 years who reported a visual analog scale (VAS) score ≥1 for pain and provided informed consent for participation.

Comprehensive analysis of peripheral T-cell and natural killer/T-cell lymphoma in Asian patients: A multinational, multicenter, prospective registry study in Asia.

Background: Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) are uncommon and their frequency is regionally heterogeneous. Several studies have been conducted to evaluate the clinical features and treatment outcomes of this disease entity, but the majority of these were conducted in limited areas, making it difficult to comprehensively analyze their relative frequency and clinical features. Furthermore, no consensus treatment for PTCLs has been established.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in Asian patients: a multinational, multicenter, prospective registry study in Asia.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are a group of T-cell lymphomas with low incidence. Due to their indolent characteristics, treatment strategies have not yet been established for advanced CTCLs. In this study, relative incidence of CTCLs in Asia was estimated and the therapeutic outcomes presented based on various treatments currently used in clinics for advanced CTCLs.

Thrombotic and hemorrhagic events in 2016 World Health Organization-defined Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasm.

Background/aims: Recent changes in the diagnostic criteria for myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) and increasing patient numbers necessitate updating of the data on vascular events in patients with such disorders.

Methods: In this single-center study, thrombotic and hemorrhagic events were retrospectively analyzed in patients diagnosed with essential thrombocythemia (ET), polycythemia vera (PV) prefibrotic/early primary myelofibrosis (pre-PMF), or PMF, based on the 2016 World Health Organization diagnostic criteria.

Results: Of a total of 335 consecutive patients (139 ET, 42 pre-PMF, 124 PV, and 30 PMF patients; 192 males and 143 females) of median age 64 years (range, 15 to 91), 112 (33.

Risk factors for neutropenic fever in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients with primary granulocyte colony-stimulating factor prophylaxis.

Background/aims: Febrile neutropenia (FN) interferes with the proper chemotherapy dose density or intensity in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients. Chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) ± rituximab has an intermediate FN risk. Prophylactic granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) support is recommended for patients with other host-related risk factors.

Volumetric splenomegaly in patients with essential thrombocythemia and prefibrotic/early primary myelofibrosis.

Non-palpable, volumetric splenomegaly at diagnosis was evaluated using computed tomography in patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET) and prefibrotic/early primary myelofibrosis (pre-PMF) based on 2016 World Health Organization guidelines. Each patient's spleen volume was adjusted for their age and body surface area. The degree of splenomegaly was classified as no, borderline volumetric, overt volumetric, or palpable splenomegaly.