• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.107-112
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• 2016

Gastric cancer is the fifth most common malignancy in the world and still remains the third and fifth leading cause of cancer death in male and female, respectively. In terms of the cancer survival, the survival of gastric cancer is low in the West with showed 5-year survival rates of 10-30%, whereas the survival rates in Asia is more than 50%. The reason of the higher survival rate from gastric cancer in Asia partially related with the availability of gastric cancer screening programs, however, the population-based screening for gastric cancer has been conducted just in Korea and Japan. Therefore, more effective method for detecting the gastric cancer is needed for countries without a population-based gastric cancer screening. Endoscopy is the most effective method for diagnosis of gastric cancer however, it requires a large infrastructure including a large number of endoscopic equipment and well-trained endoscopists. To overcome these problems, several noninvasive methods (such as serologic markers, biomarkers, cancer autoantibodies, and exhaled breath analysis) for diagnosis of gastric cancer screening are suggested. This review addresses the conventional methods and the emerging methods for gastric cancer screening.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2016

There were no Korean evidence-based multidisciplinary guidelines for gastric cancer. Experts from related societies developed guidelines de novo to meet Korean circumstances and requirements, including 23 recommendation statements for diagnosis (n=9) and treatment (n=14) based on relevant key questions. The quality of the evidence was rated according to the GRADE evidence evaluation framework and the recommendation grades were classified as either strong or weak. The topics of the guidelines cover diagnostic modalities (endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasound, and radiologic diagnosis), treatment modalities (surgery, therapeutic endoscopy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy), and pathologic evaluation. Major limitation of the present guideline is that there is no enough evidences in Korea. Therefore, clinical studies about gastric cancer for evidence generation should be conducted.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.93-98
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• 2023

Ampullary tumor is a rare disease whose prevalence rate has increased gradually in recent years with the increase in endoscopic examinations. Ampullary lesions are observed via endoscopy, and biopsy is done to determine whether such lesions are adenomas or carcinomas. Endoscopic papillectomy is performed on ampullary adenomas without intraductal lesions. Before the procedure, bleeding tendencies and pancreatitis are assessed, and the lesion is resected using a high-frequency wave and a thin wire snare. Thereafter, pancreatic duct stent insertion or clipping of the resection site is performed to prevent postprocedural pancreatitis. Although 47-93% of the patients achieve complete endoscopic papillary resection, the recurrence rate is 5-31%. Hence, regular follow-up via endoscopy is required.

• Clinical Endoscopy
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.175-180
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• 2024

Therapeutic endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) procedures using the forward-viewing convex EUS (FV-EUS) have been reviewed based on the articles reported to date. The earliest reported procedure is the drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts using FV-EUS. However, the study on drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts focused on showing that drainage is possible with FV-EUS rather than leveraging its features. Subsequently, studies describing the characteristics of FV-EUS have been reported. By using FV-EUS in EUS-guided choledochoduodenostomy, double punctures in the gastrointestinal tract can be avoided. In postoperative modified anatomical cases, using the endoscopic function of FV-EUS, procedures such as bile duct drainage from anastomosis, pancreatic duct drainage from the afferent limb, and abscess drainage from the digestive tract have been reported. When a perpendicular puncture to the gastrointestinal tract is required or when there is a need to insert the endoscope deep into the gastrointestinal tract, FV-EUS is considered among the options.

• Clinical Endoscopy
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.24-35
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• 2024

The field of artificial intelligence is rapidly evolving, and there has been an interest in its use to predict the risk of lymph node metastasis in T1 colorectal cancer. Accurately predicting lymph node invasion may result in fewer patients undergoing unnecessary surgeries; conversely, inadequate assessments will result in suboptimal oncological outcomes. This narrative review aims to summarize the current literature on deep learning for predicting the probability of lymph node metastasis in T1 colorectal cancer, highlighting areas of potential application and barriers that may limit its generalizability and clinical utility.

• Clinical Endoscopy
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.426-433
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• 2022

Background/Aims: Cholangiogram interpretation is not used as a key performance indicator (KPI) of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) training, and national societies recommend different minimum numbers per annum to maintain competence. This study aimed to determine the relationship between correct ERCP cholangiogram interpretation and experience. Methods: One hundred fifty ERCPists were surveyed to appropriately interpret ERCP cholangiographic findings. There were three groups of 50 participants each: "Trainees," "Consultants group 1" (performed >75 ERCPs per year), and "Consultants group 2" (performed >100 ERCPs per year). Results: Trainees was inferior to Consultants groups 1 and 2 in identifying all findings except choledocholithiasis outside the intrahepatic duct on the initial or completion/occlusion cholangiogram. Consultants group 1 was inferior to Consultants group 2 in identifying Strasberg type A bile leaks (odds ratio [OR], 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77-0.96), Strasberg type B (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.74-0.95), and Bismuth type 2 hilar strictures (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.69-0.95). Conclusions: This investigation supports the notion that cholangiogram interpretation improves with increased annual ERCP case volumes. Thus, a higher annual volume of procedures performed may improve the ability to correctly interpret particularly difficult findings. Cholangiogram interpretation, in addition to bile duct cannulation, could be considered as another KPI of ERCP training.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.660-664
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• 2006

The relationship between H. pylori clarithromycin resistance and genetic pattern distribution has been differently explained from different geographic areas. Therefore, we aimed to assess the clarithromycin resistance rate, to evaluate the bacterial genetic pattern, and to search for a possible association between clarithromycin resistance and cagA or vacA genes. This prospective study enrolled 62 consecutive H. pylori infected patients. The infection was established by histology and rapid urease test. Clarithromycin resistance, cagA and vacA status, including s/m subtypes, were assessed on paraffin-embedded antral biopsy specimens by TaqMan real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Primary clarithromycin resistance was detected in 24.1 % of cases. The prevalence of cagA was 69.3%, and a single vacA mosaicism was observed in 95.1 % cases. In detail, the s1m1 was observed in 23 (38.9%) patients, the s1m2 in 22 (37.2%), and the s2m2 in 14 (23.7%), whereas the s2m1 combination was never found. The prevalence of cagA and the vacA alleles distribution did not significantly differ between susceptible and resistant strains. Primary clarithromycin resistance is high in our area. The s1m1 and s1m2 are the most frequent vacA mosaicisms. There is no a relationship between clarithromycin resistance and bacterial genotypic pattern and/or cagA positivity.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.89-100
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• 2009

문제: 소화기병검사실에서 대장내시경 검사의 부도건수가 최근 월 200명 정도로 예약인원의 16%에 달한다. 이는 본원 외래진료 부도율이 평균 10%인 것과 비교할 때 상당히 높은 결과이므로 대장내시경 예약환자를 대상으로 부도율 관리를 위한 활동이 필요하였다. 목적: 외래 및 입원환자의 부도건수 및 부도환자의 특성을 분석하고, 개선활동을 통하여 대장내시경 검사의 부도율을 줄인다. 의료기관: 서울 아산병원. 질 향상 활동: 부도관리를 위한 개선활동으로 SMS 횟수를 2주전, 4일전, 1일전 3회로 변경하고, 내용도 각 시기마다 차별화하였다. 대장내시경 검사 예약을 하고 기다리는 환자를 대상으로 처방일 순, 예약 날짜순서 등 필요한 항목 순으로 볼 수 있는 리스트가 필요하여 예약대기 프로그램을 개발하였고, 처방일로부터 2주 이내 자동예약을 금지하였다.(7월 10일부터 시작) 예약대기명단에 있는 환자를 대상으로 전화로 예약 변경을 하여 2주 이내에는 예약의 빈자리가 없도록 하였다. 미리 부도를 예측하여 추가로 예약하던 방법에서 정원조정을 하여 정원 외 추가 예약을 하지 않았다. 입원환자 일정관리를 위하여 일정관리 프로그램을 개발하여 타과의뢰 회신을 하는 전임의가 직접 날짜를 전산에 입력하여 회신과 동시에 검사실, 담당주치의, 담당 간호사가 모두 일정을 확인할 수 있도록 하였으나 프로그램이 늦어져 9월 12일부터 시행하였다. 개선효과: 부도건수가 개선 전 8주 동안 385건(예약인원 대비 16%) 에서 개선 후 6주의 평가기간 동안 256건(예약인원대비 14.1%)으로 129건이 감소하였으며, 검사 1-2일전 일정 변경 연락 환자 감소 및 검사 비용 수납 환자의 부도건수가 감소하였다. 대장내시경 검사 예약대기 프로그램 운영 및 예약 변경 전화 활동으로 2달씩 기다리던 환자의 예약일을 약 한 달 정도 단축하여 줄 수 있었다. 검사 정원 관리의 결과로 검사 예약 시 예약기준이 명확해지고, 부적절한 예약으로 인한 검사지연 등이 확실히 줄었다. 또한 입원환자 일정관리 프로그램 적용으로 입원환자의 검사일정과 관련된 전화업무는 확실히 줄어들 것으로 예상된다.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.203-212
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• 2021

Purpose: The impact of the interval between previous endoscopy and diagnosis on the treatment modality or mortality of undifferentiated (UD)-type gastric cancer is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of endoscopic screening interval on the stage, cancer-related mortality, and treatment methods of UD-type gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: We reviewed the medical records of newly diagnosed patients with UD gastric cancer in 2013, in whom the interval between previous endoscopy and diagnosis could be determined. The patients were classified into different groups according to the period from the previous endoscopy to diagnosis (<12 months, 12-23 months, 24-35 months, ≥36 months, and no history of endoscopy), and the outcomes were compared between the groups. In addition, patients who underwent endoscopic and surgical treatment were reclassified based on the final treatment results. Results: The number of enrolled patients was 440, with males representing 64.1% of the study population; 11.8% of the participants reported that they had undergone endoscopy for the first time in their cancer diagnosis. The percentage of stage I cancer at diagnosis significantly decreased as the interval from the previous endoscopy to diagnosis increased (65.4%, 63.2%, 64.2%, 45.9%, and 35.2% for intervals of <12 months, 12-23 months, 24-35 months, ≥36 months, and no previous endoscopy, respectively, P<0.01). Cancer-related mortality was significantly lower for a 3-year interval of endoscopy (P<0.001). Conclusions: A 3-year interval of endoscopic screening reduces gastric-cancer-related mortality, particularly in cases of UD histology.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.529-532
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• 2013

Cholangiocarcinoma, though very rare in Western countries, is one of the commonest liver malignancies in Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand. More than half of the patients present with advanced stage disease. Given the poor treatment outcomes of adjuvant therapeutic options, many patients undergo only biliary drainage for palliative treatment. Clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes after biliary stenting were here analyzed for a total of 224 uresectable cholangiocarcinoma cases, 58.9% in men. The mean age was 61.5 years. Hilar involvement was the most common location. The patients underwent biliary drainage using plastic and metallic stents equally, early stent occlusion being encountered in 21.4% and 10.7%, respectively. The median survival time was 4.93 months for patients who received plastic and 5.87 months for patients who received metallic stents.