In 2022, in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Korean Society for Pediatric Neuron-Oncology (KSPNO), a commemorative meeting was held with former and current members. At the meeting, there ...was a special lecture for the retrospect of the Emeritus Professor Thad Ghim, one of the founders and the 1st president (2002-2003) of KSPNO. He celebrated the history and development of the KSPNO, along with the vision of our society. Especially he appreciated the efforts and endeavors of our senior members. In 2001, we started as “Korean Pediatric Neuro-Oncological Study Group.” The next year, we changed our name to “Korean Society for Pediatric Neuro-Oncology (KSPNO).” KSPNO emphasized the multidisciplinary approach to patient care. These efforts were strengthened by “The National Cancer Moonshot Initiative” since 2005. Now our society goes forward together with “National Cancer Treatment Guideline Project and Childhood Cancer and Rare Disease Control Group Project.” After all, we do not exist for ourselves, but for our sick children.
Background During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the need for appropriate treatment guidelines for patients with brain tumors was indispensable due to the lack and limitations of ...medical resources. Thus, the Korean Society for Neuro-Oncology (KSNO), a multidisciplinary academic society, has undertaken efforts to develop a guideline that is tailored to the domestic situation and that can be used in similar crisis situations in the future.
Methods The KSNO Guideline Working Group was composed of 22 multidisciplinary experts on neuro-oncology in Korea. In order to reach consensus among the experts, the Delphi method was used to build up the final recommendations.
Results All participating experts completed the series of surveys, and the results of final survey were used to draft the current consensus recommendations. Priority levels of surgery and radiotherapy during crises were proposed using appropriate time window-based criteria for management outcome. The highest priority for surgery is assigned to patients who are life-threatening or have a risk of significant impact on a patient’s prognosis unless immediate intervention is given within 24-48 hours. As for the radiotherapy, patients who are at risk of compromising their overall survival or neurological status within 4-6 weeks are assigned to the highest priority. Curative-intent chemotherapy has the highest priority, followed by neoadjuvant/adjuvant and palliative chemotherapy during a crisis period. Telemedicine should be actively considered as a management tool for brain tumor patients during the mass infection crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusion It is crucial that adequate medical care for patients with brain tumors is maintained and provided, even during times of crisis. This guideline will serve as a valuable resource, assisting in the delivery of treatment to brain tumor patients in the event of any future crisis.
In response to the increase in the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Korea, the growth of patients requiring renal replacement therapy and the subsequent increase in medical costs, the ...rapid expansion of patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), and the decrease in patients receiving home therapy, including peritoneal dialysis, the Korean Society of Nephrology has proclaimed the new policy, Kidney Health Plan 2033 (KHP 2033). KHP 2033 would serve as a milestone to bridge the current issues to a future solution by directing the prevention and progression of CKD and ESKD, particularly diabetic kidney disease, and increasing the proportion of home therapy, thereby reducing the socioeconomic burden of kidney disease and improving the quality of life. Here, we provide the background for the necessity of KHP 2033, as well as the contents of KHP 2033, and enlighten the Korean Society of Nephrology’s future goals. Together with patients, healthcare providers, academic societies, and national policymakers, we need to move forward with goal-oriented drive and leadership to achieve these goals.
To provide high-quality training to residents in a rapidly changing medical environment, it is very important to improve the annual training curriculum centered on competency and ensure that training ...hospitals maintain an environment suitable for training. The Korean Society of Radiology (KSR) has been steadily improving the training system and has suggested the improvement of the training system by strengthening the competency-based evaluation and faculty development. Currently, KSR was selected for the second annual training curriculum systematization construction project in July 2021, and developed entrustable professional activities, core competencies, and assessment guidelines required by the construction project. Therefore, the development process and assessment guidelines will be introduced to residents and the faculty. 급변하고 있는 의료환경에서 전공의에게 양질의 수련을 제공하기 위해 연차별 수련교과과정을 역량 중심으로 개선하고, 수련병원이 수련에 적합한 환경을 유지하도록 하는 것은 매우 중요하다. 대한영상의학회는 그동안 수련체계 개선을 꾸준히 진행해 왔고, 전공의 역량평가와 지도전문의의 내용을 강화하여 역량 중심 전공의 수련체계 개선을 제시하였다. 현재 대한 영상의학회는 2021년 7월 제2차 연차별 수련교과과정 체계화 구축 사업에 선정되어 구축 사업을 추진하고 있으며, 구축 사업에서 요구하는 위임가능 전문직무와 핵심역량 평가항목 및 평가 가이드라인을 개발하였다. 이에 대한 개발과정과 평가항목 및 평가 가이드라인을 소개하여 전공의와 지도전문의들에게 정보를 제공하고자 한다.
To develop Korean coronavirus disease (COVID-19) chest imaging justification guidelines, eight key questions were selected and the following recommendations were made with the evidence-based clinical ...imaging guideline adaptation methodology. It is appropriate not to use chest imaging tests (chest radiograph or CT) for the diagnosis of COVID-19 in asymptomatic patients. If reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction testing is not available or if results are delayed or are initially negative in the presence of symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, chest imaging tests may be considered. In addition to clinical evaluations and laboratory tests, chest imaging may be contemplated to determine hospital admission for asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic un-hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19. In hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19, chest imaging may be advised to determine or modify treatment alternatives. CT angiography may be considered if hemoptysis or pulmonary embolism is clinically suspected in a patient with confirmed COVID-19. For COVID-19 patients with improved symptoms, chest imaging is not recommended to make decisions regarding hospital discharge. For patients with functional impairment after recovery from COVID-19, chest imaging may be considered to distinguish a potentially treatable disease. 흉부영상의 적절한 활용을 위해 한국형 코로나바이러스 감염증(이하 COVID-19) 흉부영상진단 시행 가이드라인을 개발하였다. 8가지 문장형 핵심 질문을 선정하고, 근거기반 임상영상 가이드라인 수용개작 방법론에 의거하여 권고안을 작성하였다. 권고 내용은 다음과 같다. COVID-19 확진자와 접촉한 증상이 없는 사람에 대하여 COVID-19의 진단을 위하여 흉부영상검사(흉부X선검사 또는 CT)를 사용하지 않는 것이 적절하다. COVID-19가 의심되는 증상이 있으나 reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction 검사를 이용할 수 없는 경우 흉부영상검사 사용을 고려할 수 있다. COVID-19가 확인된 환자에게 병원 입원을 결정하기 위하여 임상 평가 및 검사실 검사와 함께 흉부영상검사를 고려할 수 있다. COVID-19 입원환자의 증상 경중 및 위험요인의 유무에 따라 흉부영상검사를 고려할 수 있으며, 치료 방법을 결정하거나 수정하는데 이용할 수 있다. COVID-19 환자에서 객혈 또는 폐색전증이 의심되는 경우 CT 혈관조영술을 시행할 수 있다. 증상이 호전된 COVID-19 환자의 퇴원 결정을 하는데 흉부영상검사를 사용하지 않는 것이 적절하다. COVID-19에서 회복된 환자를 추적검사할 때 폐 기능 장애가 있는 환자에서 치료 가능한 폐질환과 구별하기 위해 흉부영상검사를 고려할 수 있다.
In this reflexive essay, I raise issues about power dynamics between interviewers and interviewees based on my experiences conducting research interviews in South Korea. I focus on the sociocultural ...contexts that drive social agents’ behaviors in the interview process, which in Korean Confucian contexts include respect for adults and educational fervor. A particular configuration of authority relationships was evident in each scenario, showing how sociocultural contexts underlie the complicated power dynamics of interview situations, which can be further complicated by topics that require participants to share their intellectual notions. Based on my interview experiences, I argue that acknowledging these social contexts and their impacts on power relations will serve to strengthen the depth of engagement in interviews and therefore the quality and potential impact of qualitative interview research.
Background There have been no guidelines for the management of adult patients with diffuse midline glioma (DMG), H3K27M-mutant in Korea since the 2016 revised WHO classification newly defined this ...disease entity. Thus, the Korean Society for Neuro-Oncology (KSNO), a multidisciplinary academic society, had begun preparing guidelines for DMG since 2019.
Methods The Working Group was composed of 27 multidisciplinary medical experts in Korea. References were identified through searches of PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL using specific and sensitive keywords as well as combinations of keywords. As ‘diffuse midline glioma’ was recently defined, and there was no international guideline, trials and guidelines of ‘diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma’ or ‘brain stem glioma’ were thoroughly reviewed first.
Results The core contents are as follows. The DMG can be diagnosed when all of the following three criteria are satisfied: the presence of the H3K27M mutation, midline location, and infiltrating feature. Without identification of H3K27M mutation by diagnostic biopsy, DMG cannot be diagnosed. For the primary treatment, maximal safe resection should be considered for tumors when feasible. Radiotherapy is the primary option for tumors in case the total resection is not possible. A total dose of 54 Gy to 60 Gy with conventional fractionation prescribed at 1-2 cm plus gross tumor volume is recommended. Although no chemotherapy has proven to be effective in DMG, concurrent chemoradiotherapy (± maintenance chemotherapy) with temozolomide following WHO grade IV glioblastoma’s protocol is recommended.
Conclusion The detection of H3K27M mutation is the most important diagnostic criteria for DMG. Combination of surgery (if amenable to surgery), radiotherapy, and chemotherapy based on comprehensive multidisciplinary discussion can be considered as the treatment options for DMG.
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