Association between physical activity changes and risk of incident ischemic stroke following cancer diagnosis: A nationwide retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity is prevalent after cancer treatment, which could increase ischemic stroke risk in cancer survivors. This study investigated the association between physical activity change from pre- to post-diagnosis and ischemic stroke risk among cancer survivors. METHODS: Using data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, 269,943 cancer survivors (mean [SD] age, 56.3 [12.1] years; 45.7% male) with no history of cardiovascular disease were evaluated based on changes in physical activity from pre- to post-diagnosis. Using the Fine-Gray model, subdistribution hazard ratios (sHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for ischemic stroke risk were calculated, considering death as a competing risk. RESULTS: After cancer diagnosis, 62.0% remained inactive, 10.1% remained active, 16.6% became active, and 11.4% became inactive. During a mean (SD) follow-up of 4.1 (2.0) years, being active both pre- and post-diagnosis was associated with a 15% decreased risk of ischemic stroke (sHR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.75-0.96), compared with those who remained inactive. Cancer survivors who became active and inactive post-diagnosis showed a 16% and 11% lower ischemic stroke risk (sHR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.75-0.93; sHR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.79-0.99), respectively, than those who remained inactive. Analysis by the primary cancer site did not substantially differ from the main findings. CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity is associated with reduced ischemic stroke risk among cancer survivors. The potential benefits of physical activity are not limited to individuals who were physically active before cancer diagnosis, thus preventive strategies against ischemic stroke should emphasize physical activity throughout the cancer journey.

Mid- and long-term risk of atrial fibrillation among breast cancer surgery survivors.

BACKGROUND: The risk of incident atrial fibrillation (AF) among breast cancer survivors, especially for younger women, and cancer treatment effects on the association remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the risk of AF among breast cancer survivors and evaluate the association by age group, length of follow-up, and cancer treatment. METHODS: Using data from the Korean Health Insurance Service database (2010-2017), 113,232 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer (aged ≥ 18 years) without prior AF history who underwent breast cancer surgery were individually matched 1:5 by birth year to a sample female population without cancer (n = 566,160) (mean[SD] follow-up, 5.1[2.1] years). Sub-distribution hazard ratios (sHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) considering death as a competing risk were estimated, adjusting for sociodemographic factors and cardiovascular/non-cardiovascular comorbidities. RESULTS: BCS had a slightly increased AF risk compared to their cancer-free counterparts (sHR 1.06; 95% CI 1.00-1.13), but the association disappeared over time. Younger BCS (age < 40 years) had more than a 2-fold increase in AF risk (sHR 2.79; 95% CI 1.98-3.94), with the association remaining similar over 5 years of follow-up. The increased risk was not observed among older BCS, especially those aged > 65 years. Use of anthracyclines was associated with increased AF risk among BCS (sHR 1.57; 95% CI 1.28-1.92), which was more robust in younger BCS (sHR 1.94; 95% CI 1.40-2.69 in those aged ≤ 50 years). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that younger BCS had an elevated risk of incident AF, regardless of the length of follow-up. Use of anthracyclines may be associated with increased mid-to-long-term AF risk among BCS.

Risk of Parkinson disease in stroke patients: A nationwide cohort study in South Korea.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Previous studies have examined the risk of stroke in patients with Parkinson disease (PD), but the incidence of PD onset among stroke patients and its risk according to severity of poststroke disabilities have scarcely been investigated. This study aims to determine whether the risk of PD is increased among stroke patients using a retrospective cohort with a large population-based database. METHODS: We used data collected by the Korean National Health Insurance Service from 2010 to 2018 and examined 307,361 stroke patients and 380,917 sex- and age-matched individuals without stroke to uncover the incidence of PD. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI), and the risk of PD was compared according to presence and severity of disability. RESULTS: During 4.31 years of follow-up, stroke patients had a 1.67 times higher risk of PD compared to individuals without stroke (adjusted HR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.57-1.78). The risk of PD was greater among stroke patients with disabilities than among those without disabilities, even after adjustment for multiple covariates (adjusted HR = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.55-1.91; and adjusted HR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.56-1.77, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated an increased risk of PD among stroke patients. Health professionals need to pay careful attention to detecting movement disorders as clues for diagnosing PD.

Impact of Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Related Visual Disability on the Risk of Depression: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the prospective association of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and related visual disability (VD) with the risk of depression. DESIGN: This nationwide population-based cohort study used authorized clinical data provided by the Korean National Health Insurance Service. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 3 599 589 individuals older than 50 years participated in the Korean National Health Screening Program in 2009. METHODS: Age-related macular degeneration diagnosis and the presence of accompanying VD were verified using diagnostic codes and disability registration data. Data on covariates, including age, sex, income level, residential area, systemic comorbidities, and behavioral factors, were collected from health screening results and claims data. Patients were followed up until December 2019, and incident cases of depression were identified using registered diagnostic codes. The prospective association of AMD and related VD with new-onset depression was investigated using the multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazard model. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for depression development according to the presence of AMD and VD. RESULTS: During an average follow-up period of 8.52 years, 1 037 088 patients received new diagnoses of depression. Patients with previous diagnoses of AMD showed a greater risk of new-onset depression, with a hazard ratio of 1.15 (95% CI, 1.13-1.17) compared with the control group in the fully adjusted model. Patients with AMD and accompanying VD showed a further increased risk of depression, with a hazard ratio of 1.23 (95% CI, 1.16-1.30). CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with a diagnosis of AMD have a higher risk of depression developing in the future. The risk of depression is increased further in patients with AMD who demonstrate VD. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.

Smoking behavior change and risk of cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to examine the association between smoking behavior change and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: This study used nationwide data from the Korean National Health Insurance System and included 349,137 T2DM patients who smoked. Smoking behavior changes were defined with five groups: quitters, reducers I (≥ 50% reduction), reducers II (20-50% reduction), sustainers (± 20%), and increasers (≥ 20% increase) from the number of cigarettes/day at the baseline. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 5.1 years, 6,514 cases of myocardial infarction (MI) (1.9%), 7,837 cases of ischemic stroke (IS) (2.2%), and 14,932 deaths (4.3%) were identified. Quitters had a significantly decreased risk of MI (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.80, 95% CI 0.75-0.86) and IS (aHR 0.80, 95% CI 0.75-0.85) compared to sustainers, whereas reducers did not have a significant association with the risk of MI (aHR 1.03, 95% CI 0.94-1.13) and IS (aHR 1.00, 95% CI 0.92-1.08) in reducer I. Quitters also had a lower all-cause and CVD mortality than sustainers. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking cessation was associated with decreased CVD incidence, and all-cause and CVD mortality among T2DM patients. However, smoking reduction was not associated with decreased risks for these.

Increased risk of Parkinson's disease amongst patients with age-related macular degeneration and visual disability: A nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The association between Parkinson's disease (PD) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has been shown in previous reports. However, the association between the severity of AMD and PD development is unknown. The aim was to evaluate the association of AMD with/without visual disability (VD) with the risk of PD occurrence using the National Health Insurance data in South Korea. METHODS: A total of 4,205,520 individuals, 50 years or older and without a previous diagnosis of PD, participated in the Korean National Health Screening Program in 2009. AMD was verified using diagnostic codes, and participants with VD were defined as those with loss of vision or visual field defect as certified by the Korean Government. The participants were followed up until 31 December 2019, and incident cases of PD were identified using registered diagnostic codes. The hazard ratio was calculated for groups (control and AMD with/without VD) using multivariable adjusted Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: In total, 37,507 participants (0.89%) were diagnosed with PD. Amongst individuals with AMD, the risk of PD development was higher in individuals with VD (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-1.67) than in those without (aHR 1.22, 95% CI 1.15-1.30) compared with controls. Additionally, an increased risk of PD was observed in individuals with AMD compared with controls, regardless of the presence of VD (aHR 1.23, 95% CI 1.16-1.31). CONCLUSIONS: Visual disability in AMD was associated with the development of PD. This suggests that neurodegeneration in PD and AMD may have common pathways.

A Web-Based Decision Aid for Informed Prostate Cancer Screening: Development and Pilot Evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Prostate-specific antigen-based routine screening is not recommended for the general population due to conflicting results with mortality reduction. We aimed to develop a web-based decision aid (DA) for informed decision making for prostate cancer screening. METHODS: Using the International Patient Decision Aid Standards (IPDAS) development process model, we developed our DA based on patient and clinician interviews and multidisciplinary expert discussions. The prototype consisted of predicting individual prostate cancer risk and informed decision-making, including knowledge, risk and benefit, cost, personal value, and decision making. We conducted a pilot study on 101 healthy men, evaluating the effectiveness of DA by measuring knowledge, attitude, and intention to screen before and after using the DA, as well as decisional conflict and usefulness after using the DA. RESULTS: Of the 101 participants (median age 60 [50-69] years), 84% had not undergone screening for prostate cancer in the past two years. After using the DA, knowledge on prostate cancer screening increased (mean score [of 10] before versus after: 6.85 ± 1.03 versus 7.57 ± 1.25; P < 0.001), and intention to not screen increased from 27.7% to 51.5% (P < 0.001), but attitude toward screening did not change (P = 0.564). After use of the DA, 79 participants reported no decisional conflict, and the usefulness score was high (mean score [of 100] 77.35 ± 7.69), with 85% of participants reporting that the DA helped with decision making. CONCLUSION: Our web-based DA yielded increased knowledge, decreased screening intention, and high perceived usefulness. These findings indicate potential clinical relevance, especially among younger individuals.

Effect of smoking reduction, cessation, and resumption on cancer risk: A nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of reduction, cessation, and resumption of smoking on cancer development. METHODS: The authors identified 893,582 participants who currently smoked, had undergone a health screening in 2009, and had a follow-up screening in 2011. Among them, 682,996 participated in a third screening in 2013. Participants were categorized as quitters, reducers I (≥50% reduction), reducers II (<50% reduction), sustainers (referent), or increasers (≥20% increase). Outcome data were obtained through December 31, 2018. RESULTS: Reducers I exhibited a decreased risk of all cancers (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.93-0.99), smoking-related cancers (aHR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.92-0.99), and lung cancer (aHR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.77-0.88). Quitters had the lowest risk of all cancers (aHR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.92-0.96), smoking-related cancers (aHR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.89-0.93), and lung cancer (aHR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.76-0.83). In further analysis with 3 consecutive screenings, additional smoking reduction (from reducers II to reducers I) lowered the risk of lung cancer (aHR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.58-0.94) in comparison with sustainers. Quitting among reducers I further decreased the risk of all cancers (aHR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.80-1.00), smoking-related cancers (aHR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.81-0.92), and lung cancer (aHR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.52-0.84) in comparison with sustainers. Smoking resumption after quitting, even at a lower level, increased the risk of smoking-related cancers (aHR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.06-1.33) and lung cancer (aHR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.21-1.80) in comparison with sustained quitting. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking cessation and, to a lesser extent, smoking reduction decreased the risks of cancer. Smoking resumption increased cancer risks in comparison with sustained quitting. LAY SUMMARY: Worldwide, tobacco use is the single leading preventable risk factor for cancer and cancer death. This study examined the effects of reduction, cessation, and resumption of smoking on cancer development by measuring smoking behavior repetitively. Although smoking reduction has a substantial cancer prevention benefit for those who cannot quit, cessation should be encouraged whenever possible. Quitters should be monitored to ensure that they do not resume smoking.

Association between age-related macular degeneration and risk of incident cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cancer may share similar risk factors, indicating possible common pathogenic pathways. We aimed to describe the site-specific cancer risk based on the relationship of AMD with visual disability (VD) status. METHODS: This was a population-based cohort study using data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database (2009-2019) including patients who participated in a national health screening programme in 2009. The subjects were categorised based on the presence of AMD and VD. The occurrence of cancer was identified using principal diagnosis according to the International Classification of Disease, 10th revision codes in claims data. The Cox regression hazard model was used to compare HRs of site-specific cancer. RESULTS: Among 4 088 814 participants, 51 596 had AMD of which 3683 subjects had VD. The mean follow-up period was 9.6 years. The overall cancer risk was generally null, but the risk of hypervascular cancer such as thyroid cancer (adjusted HR (aHR) 1.10, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.20) and renal cancer (aHR 1.16, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.33) was higher and the risk of stomach cancer (aHR 0.89, 95% CI 0.84 to 0.94) was lower in the AMD group than in the non-AMD group. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated a possible association between AMD and several cancers. Increased renal and thyroid cancer risk among patients with AMD could indicate that AMD is associated with hypervascular cancer. Further studies in which additional databases are used and the underlying detailed mechanisms evaluated are needed to validate our results.

Changes in physical activity and diabetes risk after cancer diagnosis: a nationwide cohort study.

PURPOSE: Physical activity has the potential to reduce the risk of diabetes after cancer diagnosis. However, current evidence supporting its effects is limited. This study aims to examine the associations between changes in physical activity and subsequent risk of diabetes among cancer survivors. METHODS: A total of 264,250 cancer survivors (mean age 56.7 (12.5) years, 44.2% males) without a prior history of diabetes were assessed for adherence to physical activity both before and after their diagnosis. The primary outcome was incident diabetes. The Fine-Gray proportional sub-distribution hazards model was used to calculate sub-distribution hazard ratios (sHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for diabetes risk, considering death as a competing risk. RESULTS: Over a follow-up of 1,065,802 person-years, maintaining regular physical activity from pre-diagnosis was associated with a 10% reduced risk of diabetes after cancer diagnosis (sHR 0.90, 95% CI 0.85-0.96), considering traditional diabetes risk factors, sociodemographics, and primary cancer sites. Cancer survivors who became active and inactive after their cancer diagnosis exhibited a marginally decreased risk of diabetes (sHR 0.98, 95% CI 0.93-1.03; sHR 0.97, 95% CI 0.92-1.03). The strength and direction of the association varied depending on the primary site of cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Regular physical activity starting before a cancer diagnosis is associated with a lower risk of diabetes following the diagnosis, independent of established diabetes risk factors. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: The study underscores the importance of engaging in sufficient physical activity to mitigate the risk of diabetes in cancer survivors.

Supporting Life Adjustment in Patients With Lung Cancer Through a Comprehensive Care Program: Protocol for a Controlled Before-and-After Trial.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer diagnosis affects an individual's quality of life as well as physical and emotional functioning. Information on survivorship care tends to be introduced at the end of treatment, but early intervention may affect posttreatment adjustment. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has explored the effect of early information intervention on the return to work, family, and societal roles of lung cancer survivors. OBJECTIVE: We report the study protocol of a comprehensive care prehabilitation intervention designed to facilitate lung cancer survivors' psychological adjustment after treatment. METHODS: A comprehensive care program was developed based on a literature review and a qualitative study of patients with lung cancer and health professionals. The Lung Cancer Comprehensive Care Program consists of educational videos and follow-up visits by a family medicine physician. To prevent contamination, the control group received routine education, whereas the intervention group received routine care and intervention. Both groups completed questionnaires before surgery (T0) and at 1-month (T1), 6-month (T2), and 1-year (T3) follow-up visits after surgery. The primary outcome was survivors' psychological adjustment to cancer 6 months after pulmonary resection. RESULTS: The historical control group (n=441) was recruited from September 8, 2021, to April 20, 2022, and the intervention group (n=350) was recruited from April 22, 2022, to October 17, 2022. All statistical analyses will be performed upon completion of the study. CONCLUSIONS: This study examined the effectiveness of an intervention that provided general and tailored informational support to lung cancer survivors, ranging from before to the end of treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05078918; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05078918. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/54707.

Changes of N/L ratio and cortisol levels associated with experimental training in untrained rhesus macaques.

BACKGROUND: Animal training prior to beginning an experiment is an essential procedure and a very important course because it may affect the results of hematologic and hormonal variables and the functions influenced by those factors. Because this training inevitably causes animal stress, we wondered how much time is needed for untrained monkeys to recover from stresses associated with experimental training. METHODS: We measured the hematological and stress hormonal (e.g., cortisol) changes on weekly basis before and after experimental monkey chair training in newly acquired rhesus monkeys. RESULTS: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (N/L) ratio significantly increased during the initial phase of the training and then gradually decreased after 3 weeks. Elevated serum cortisol levels in the initial phase also significantly decreased after 3 weeks of chair training. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that at least a 3-week period is needed in monkey chair training for recovery from training stress. These results suggest that many researchers using nonhuman primates should provide enough time (>3 weeks) for adaptation to the experimental environment prior to beginning a study.

Comparison of the Smoking Cessation of Heated Tobacco Product Users and Conventional Cigarette Smokers in Korea.

BACKGROUND: Since the introduction of heated tobacco products (HTPs) in Korea in 2017, their annual sales have increased. Several studies have investigated the perceptions of HTPs and smoking cessation behaviors. For the first time, In 2019, questions focused on HTP use were introduced in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHNES). This study aimed to compare smoking cessation behaviors between HTP users and conventional cigarette smokers using KNHANES data. METHODS: Data of 947 current adult smokers from the 8th KNHNES (2019) were analyzed. Current smokers were divided into conventional cigarette (CC)-only, HTP-only, and dual-use groups. The general characteristics of the three groups were investigated. Differences in current intention to quit smoking and past attempts to quit smoking among the three groups were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis by IBM SPSS ver. 25.0. RESULTS: HTP-only users demonstrated fewer future smoking cessation plans (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.398; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.195-0.813; P=0.012) and fewer smoking cessation attempts in the past year (AOR, 0.533; 95% CI, 0.298-0.954; P=0.034) than CC-only smokers. However, there was no significant difference between dual-use (CC+HTP) and CC-only smokers. CONCLUSION: While dual-use and CC-only smokers showed similar smoking cessation behaviors, HTP-only users had fewer previous attempts to quit smoking and were less likely to be currently ready to quit smoking. These findings can be explained by a decrease in the need to quit smoking due to the convenience of HTP and the perception that HTPs are less harmful than CC.

Association of Coffee or Green Tea with Ferritin or Hemoglobin in Premenopausal Women.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine the association between coffee or green tea consumption and ferritin or hemoglobin levels in premenopausal women. METHODS: We used the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010-2012), and a total of 4,322 individuals were surveyed. In women of reproductive age, average ferritin and hemoglobin levels were calculated according to coffee or green tea consumption. Covariates included in the analysis were demographic variables, such as age, body mass index, education, drinking, smoking, history of hypertension, history of diabetes diagnosis, physical activity, total energy intake, and daily iron intake. RESULTS: In 4,322 participants, the average hemoglobin level was 12.90±0.02 g/dL, and the average level of ferritin was 31.95±0.67 ng/mL. As a result of testing, correlation between ferritin and coffee intake and difference in ferritin levels according to coffee consumption was significant (P<0.05). In this study, a post hoc test indicated that ferritin level significantly differed between one and two cups, two and three cups, and three and one cup groups (overall P<0.001). Additionally, there was a negative correlation between ferritin level and coffee intake; ferritin level decreased by 2.09 ng/mL with a one-cup increase in daily coffee consumption. CONCLUSION: In premenopausal women, coffee intake is associated with low serum ferritin levels. Our results indicate that drinking >2 cups of coffee significantly affect ferritin levels in Korean premenopausal women.

Factors Associated with Sleep Disorder among Korean Cancer Survivors: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The factors associated with sleep disorder are controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of sleep disorder and the factors associated with sleep disorder among Korean adult cancer survivors. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we collected data on sleep problems as outcome variables, and sociodemographic and clinical information as predictor variables from cancer survivors at two university-affiliated hospitals. Sleep disorder was defined as "a difficulty in sleep initiation or sleep maintenance at least 3 times a week that started after a cancer diagnosis." Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed with odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) to evaluate the factors associated with sleep disorder. RESULTS: The participants were 1,893 Korean cancer survivors (mean age, 58.1 years; females 68.0%). The prevalence of sleep disorder among male and female cancer survivors were 16.5% and 20.3%, respectively. An increase of age by 1-year was associated with a 1.04 (95% CI, 1.01-1.07; P=0.011) times higher risk of sleep disorder in males, while an inverse association was found in females. In female survivors, high fear of cancer recurrence (FCR), high anxiety, menopause, and high EuroQol Visual Analog Scale were associated with 1.45 (95% CI, 1.06-1.98; P=0.020), 1.78 (95% CI, 1.25-2.55; P=0.002), 1.70 (95% CI, 1.08-2.67; P=0.022), and 0.59 (95% CI, 0.43-0.82; P=0.002) times higher risk of sleep disorder, respectively. In male survivors, living with a spouse/or partner was associated with 57% (95% CI, 0.20-0.95; P=0.036) lower risk of sleep disorder. Analyses of cancer sites showed that the factors associated with sleep disorder varied across cancer sites. CONCLUSION: One-fifth of adult cancer survivors had sleep disorder. Age, menopausal status, FCR, anxiety, living with a spouse or partner, and quality of life were independently associated with sleep disorder in Korean cancer survivors.

Smoking behavior change and the risk of pneumonia hospitalization among smokers with diabetes mellitus.

Smoking patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are at greater risk of developing pneumonia. How smoking behavior changes affect the risk of pneumonia hospitalization, however, remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the association between smoking behavior change and the risk of pneumonia hospitalization in patients with DM. From January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2018, we investigated the association between smoking behavior change and the risk of pneumonia hospitalization in patients with DM. A total of 332,798 adult patients with DM from the Korean National Health Insurance System database who underwent health screening examination between 2009 and 2012, and were smokers at the first health examination were included. During a mean follow-up of 4.89 years, 14,598 (4.39%) incident pneumonia hospitalization cases were identified. Reducers had a slightly increased risk of pneumonia hospitalization (aHR 1.06, 95% CI 1.01-1.10) compared to sustainers. Quitters did not have a significant association with incidence of pneumonia hospitalization. However, increasers had 13% higher risk of pneumonia hospitalization (aHR 1.13, 95% CI 1.07-1.18), regardless of whether initial smoking was light, moderate, or heavy. Our study showed that an increase in smoking intensity was associated with an increased risk of pneumonia hospitalization in people with DM. However, a protective effect of smoking reduction or cessation on pneumonia risk was not demonstrated.

The Korea National Disability Registration System.

The Korea National Disability Registration System (KNDRS) was established in 1989 to provide social welfare benefits based on predefined criteria for disability registration and an objective medical assessment using a disability grading system. Disability registration requires (1) a medical examination by a qualified specialist physician and (2) a medical advisory meeting to review the degree of disability. Medical institutions and specialists for the diagnosis of disabilities are legally stipulated, and medical records for a specified period are required to support the diagnosis. The number of disability types has gradually expanded, and 15 disability types have been legally defined. As of 2021, 2.645 million people were registered as disabled, accounting for approximately 5.1% of the total population. Among the 15 disability types, disabilities of the extremities account for the largest proportion (45.1%). Previous studies have investigated the epidemiology of disabilities using data from the KNDRS, combined predominantly with data from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). Korea has a mandatory public health insurance system that covers the entire Korean population, and the National Health Insurance Services manages all eligibility information, including disability types and severity ratings. In short, the KNDRS-NHIRD is a significant data resource for research on the epidemiology of disabilities.

Fear of cancer recurrence and its predictors among patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

PURPOSE: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a multidimensional phenomenon among cancer survivors. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the prevalence of FCR and its predictors among survivors of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Korea. METHODS: Participants who finished NSCLC treatment one or more months prior completed the Korean version of Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory-Short Form (K-FCRI-SF) and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) at single tertiary hospital in Korea. Multivariate-adjusted logistic regression and stepwise backward selection were used to determine the potential predictors of FCR. RESULTS: Of the total 949 participants (mean age 63.4 ± 8.8 years, 44.3% women), 55.8% had high FCR. Female (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06-1.95), pathologic stage III (aOR 1.97, 95% CI 1.18-3.30), poor overall quality of life (aOR 1.42, 95% CI 1.03-1.95), poor emotional functioning (aOR 3.91, 95% CI 2.64-5.81), poor social functioning (aOR 1.87, 95% CI 1.31-2.68), and severe dyspnea (aOR 2.91, 95% CI 1.03-8.21) were independent predictors of high FCR. Old age (≥ 70 years) was included in the final model (aOR 0.74, 95% CI 0.51-1.06) but did not show clinical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that high FCR was prevalent in NSCLC patients in Korea. To prevent this, we suggest screening and early detection of FCR based on sex, pathologic stage, quality of life, emotional and social functioning, and dyspnea. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Screening and early detection of FCR based on sex, pathologic stage, quality of life, emotional and social functioning, and dyspnea is suggested.

The Impact of Neighborhood Deprivation on the Survival Rates of Patients with Cancer in Korea.

The objective of this study is to investigate the correlation between the neighborhood deprivation index and survival rates of cancer patients in Korea. In this study, 5-year age-standardized survival rates of patients with cancer were determined using the National Cancer Cohort from 2014 to 2018 in Korea. The primary cancer sites were the stomach, colorectum, liver, lung, breast, cervix, prostate, and thyroid. Disparities were measured, and their impact on the overall survival rates was assessed using the Korean version of the Neighborhood Deprivation Index. Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated to determine the strength of the correlation. The study cohort comprised 726,665 patients with cancer, of whom 50.7% were male. The predominant primary cancer sites were the stomach (n = 138,462), colorectum (n = 125,156), and thyroid gland (n = 120,886). Urban residents showed better survival outcomes than those situated in rural areas. The most deprived quartile had the lowest survival rate, while the least deprived quartile had the highest (p < 0.001). Most cancer types revealed significant correlations between neighborhood deprivation and 5-year age-standardized overall survival, with lung cancer showing the most substantial negative correlation (r = -0.510), followed by prostate cancer (r = -0.438). However, thyroid cancer showed only a marginal correlation (p = 0.069). The results of this study suggested that neighborhood deprivation is closely linked to disparities in overall survival across various types of cancer. A substantial negative correlation between the neighborhood deprivation index and all-cause mortality for lung and prostate cancer, as compared to breast and cervical cancers covered by the National Cancer Screening Program, may reinforce the need to address healthcare access and improve the early detection of cancer in socioeconomically deprived neighborhoods.

Fatty Liver and Risk of Head and Neck Cancer in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

This study is aimed at investigating the association between NAFLD and the risk of HNC separately based on cancer site using a large population-based cohort of patients with T2DM. The data used in this population-based retrospective cohort study were provided by the Korean National Health Insurance Service. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate multivariable adjusted hazard ratios and 95% CIs for the association of the fatty liver index (FLI) and the risk of HNC. During the mean 6.9 years of follow-up, approximately 25.4% of the study cohort had NAFLD, defined as an FLI ≥60. A total of 3543 HNC cases were identified. Overall, patients with a higher FLI had a significantly higher risk of HNC in the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx compared with patients with an FLI <30. An association was not observed between salivary gland cancer and FLI. There was no association between obesity and HNC. However, obese patients showed a lower risk of cancer for the oral cavity (p = 0.040), pharynx (p = 0.009), and larynx (p < 0.001) than non-obese patients with the same FLI level. Neither obesity nor smoking affected the association between FLI- and HNC-risk in stratified analyses. In T2DM patients, NAFLD was associated with an increased risk of developing HNC in the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx, but not in the salivary gland.