Cancer Research and Treatment

Original Articles

Impact of Pre-admission Central Nervous System Medication Use on Delirium in Hospitalized Patients with Advanced Cancer: A Multicenter, Prospective, Observational Study in Korea: Min Jung Geum, Shin Hye Yoo, Si Won Lee, Moonki Hong, Eun Hee Jung, Yu Jung Kim, Beodeul Kang; Received April 29, 2025 Accepted August 26, 2025 Published online August 27, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2025.460 [Accepted]

Abstract PDF: Purpose
This study investigated the impact of pre-admission central nervous system (CNS) medication use on delirium incidence, duration, and survival in hospitalized patients with advanced cancer.
Materials and Methods
In this multicenter prospective study across four tertiary hospitals in South Korea, adults with advanced cancer were enrolled and categorized based on their use of CNS medications within 90 days preceding admission. Associations between pre-admission CNS medication use and outcomes (delirium incidence, delirium duration, and overall survival) were assessed using multivariable regression and Cox proportional hazards models.
Results
Of the 190 patients enrolled, 140 had used CNS medications prior to admission. Delirium occurred in 22.1% of the patients with CNS medication use versus 14.0% of those without (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.53, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.95–7.60; not significant). Opioid (aOR: 2.48, 95% CI: 1.01–6.61) and antidepressant (aOR: 5.58, 95% CI: 1.22–27.35) use were significantly associated with increased delirium risk. Use of three or more CNS medication classes was associated with a markedly high risk (aOR: 11.15, 95% CI: 2.13–64.17). Delirium duration did not differ significantly between groups. Patients with pre-admission CNS medication exposure exhibited shorter overall survival (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.01–2.09). Prior opioid use was also associated with increased mortality (aHR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.03–2.05).
Conclusion
Pre-admission exposure to CNS medication, particularly opioids and antidepressants, was associated with an increased risk of delirium in patients with advanced cancer. A thorough medication history review upon admission is crucial to identifying high-risk patients and implementing early preventive interventions.

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Pilot Study for Feasibility of Onco-Geriatric Intervention Model in Older Patients with Cancer in a Tertiary Academic Hospital: Jin Won Kim, Jung-Yeon Choi, Woochan Park, Minsu Kang, Jeongmin Seo, Eun Hee Jung, Koung Jin Suh, Ji-Won Kim, Se Hyun Kim, Yu Jung Kim, Keun-Wook Lee, Sang-A Kim, Ji Yun Lee, Jeong-Ok Lee, Soo-Mee Bang, Kwang-il Kim, Jee Hyun Kim; Received January 20, 2025 Accepted March 11, 2025 Published online March 12, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2025.079 [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub: Purpose
Older cancer patients face unique challenges due to age-related physiological changes, increasing their vulnerability to treatment-related toxicities. Geriatric assessment (GA) is a validated tool for optimizing care, yet there is no consensus on integrating geriatric interventions into oncology. This study evaluates the feasibility of a tailored onco-geriatric intervention model incorporating the KG-7 screening tool.
Materials and Methods
This prospective study included 30 patients aged ≥ 70 years with solid tumors undergoing adjuvant or palliative chemotherapy. Patients scoring ≤ 5 of KG-7 were eligible. Tailored interventions incorporating KG-7 included polypharmacy, functional status, mobility, nutrition, cognition, emotional well-being, insomnia, social support, and medical problem. KG-7, GA, and quality of life (QoL) were followed at 12 weeks.
Results
Participants (median age, 79.5 years) had colon (43.3%), pancreatic (23.3%), or gastric cancer (23.3%). At baseline, most patients showed independent activities of daily living (100%)/instrumental activities of daily living (90%). However, 93.3% had abnormal GA. Particularly, 86.7% were either malnourished or at risk of malnutrition. The most frequently identified intervention needs included polypharmacy (70.0%), nutritional support (60.0%), and emotional well-being (50.0%) with high adherence (100.0%, 88.9%, and 46.7%, respectively). At 12 weeks, KG-7 scores improved in 43.8% of patients, and 69.2% of GA domains were improved. QoL analysis revealed modest improvement in Global Health Status (mean difference, 6.3; p=0.176). One-year survival rates were 92.3% and 79.4% for adjuvant and palliative groups, respectively.
Conclusion
The onco-geriatric intervention model incorporating KG-7 demonstrated high feasibility and potential to enhance clinical outcomes. Future studies should validate this approach in randomized trials to optimize care for older cancer patients.

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Palliative medicine

Psychometric Validation of Sheffield Profile for Assessment and Referral to Care (SPARC) in Korean Cancer Patients: Hong Jun Kim, Eun Hee Jung, Jung Hye Kwon, Yu Jung Kim, Su-Jin Koh, Myung Ah Lee, Jung Hun Kang, Sun Young Rha, Eun Mi Nam, Sun Kyung Baek, Ha Yeon Lee, Hun Ho Song, Young-Woong Won, Hanbyul Lee; Cancer Res Treat. 2025;57(3):891-898. Published online December 5, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2024.706

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub: Purpose
Identifying the palliative care needs of patients with advanced cancer is important for maintaining quality of life and timely transition to palliative care. We aimed to validate the Korean Sheffield Profile for Assessment and Referral for Care (K-SPARC) in such patients and establish its psychometric properties, including reliability, validity, and responsiveness to change.
Materials and Methods
We used the forward-back translated version of SPARC, which was verified through a pilot study, to assess the palliative care needs of patients with advanced cancer. Reliability was evaluated by internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha coefficients and test-retest reliability. Criterion validity was analyzed against other questionnaires, including the Korean versions of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G Korean) and Korean versions of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (K-ESAS). Factor analysis was used to assess construct validity.
Results
Two hundred fifty-nine patients were included from 2019 to 2022. Forty-nine percent of all patients were women, and the median age was 63 years. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (range, 0.642 to 0.903) and test-retest reliability (range, 0.574 to 0.749) indicated acceptable reliability. The correlation coefficients between K-SPARC and FACT-G Korean suggested significant criterion validity. The correlation coefficients for the physical, social, emotional, and functional domains were 0.701, 0.249, 0.718, and 0.511, respectively (p < 0.001, all). Factor analysis demonstrated satisfactory construct validity of the tool.
Conclusion
This study demonstrated the utility of K-SPARC as an evaluation tool for providing palliative care to patients with advanced cancer through psychometric validation; the tool had good internal consistency, reliability, and acceptable validity.

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Hematologic malignancy

The Role of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Managing Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Patients: Ji Yun Lee, Ju-Hyun Lee, Woochan Park, Jeongmin Seo, Minsu Kang, Eun Hee Jung, Sang-A Kim, Koung Jin Suh, Ji-Won Kim, Se Hyun Kim, Jeong-Ok Lee, Jin Won Kim, Yu Jung Kim, Keun-Wook Lee, Jee Hyun Kim, Soo-Mee Bang; Cancer Res Treat. 2025;57(2):612-620. Published online September 20, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2024.738

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub

Purpose
Thrombosis and bleeding significantly affect morbidity and mortality in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). The efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in MPN patients remain uncertain.
Materials and Methods
We conducted a large, retrospective, nationwide cohort study using the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database from 2010 to 2021.
Results
Out of the 368 MPN patients included in the final analysis, 62.8% were treated with DOACs for atrial fibrillation (AF), and 37.2% for venous thromboembolism (VTE). The AF group was statistically older with higher CHA2DS2-VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥ 75 years, diabetes mellitus, prior stroke, transient ischemic attack, or thromboembolism, vascular disease, age 65-74 years, sex category [female]) scores compared to the VTE group. Antiplatelet agents were used in 51.1% of cases, and cytoreductive drugs in 79.3%, with hydroxyurea being the most common (64.9%). The median follow-up was 22.3 months, with 1-year cumulative incidence rates of thrombosis and bleeding at 11.1% and 3.7%, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified CHA2DS2-VASc scores ≥ 3 (hazard ratio [HR], 3.48), concomitant antiplatelet use (HR, 2.57), and cytoreduction (HR, 2.20) as significant thrombosis risk factors but found no significant predictors for major bleeding.
Conclusion
Despite the limitations of retrospective data, DOAC treatment in MPN patients seems effective and has an acceptable bleeding risk.

Citations

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Survey of Clinical Practice in Chronic Myeloproliferative Neoplasms in Croatia: A Study by the MPN Working Group Party of the Croatian Cooperative Group for Hematologic Diseases (KROHEM)
Ivan Krecak, Marko Lucijanic, Rajko Kusec
Journal of Clinical Medicine.2025; 14(5): 1524. CrossRef
Dabigatran etexilate

Reactions Weekly.2025; 2076(1): 120. CrossRef
Clinical and Molecular Insights of Arterial and Venous Thrombosis in Myeloproliferative Diseases—Case-Based Narrative Review
Anca Drăgan, Mădălina Găvănescu, Adrian Ştefan Drăgan, Alexandru Bardaş, Monica Dobrovie, Anca Doina Mateescu
Biomedicines.2025; 13(10): 2543. CrossRef

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Lung and Thoracic cancer

Association of TP53 Mutation Status and Sex with Clinical Outcome in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Retrospective Cohort Study: Songji Choi, Se Hyun Kim, Sejoon Lee, Jeongmin Seo, Minsu Kang, Eun Hee Jung, Sang-A Kim, Koung Jin Suh, Ji Yun Lee, Ji-Won Kim, Jin Won Kim, Jeong-Ok Lee, Yu Jung Kim, Keun-Wook Lee, Jee Hyun Kim, Soo-Mee Bang, Jong Seok Lee; Cancer Res Treat. 2025;57(1):70-82. Published online August 7, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2024.046

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub

Purpose
Some studies suggest that TP53 mutations are associated with the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and also contribute to sex disparities in several cancers. Thus, we hypothesized that TP53 mutations might serve as sex-dependent genomic biomarkers of ICI treatment response in patients with NSCLC.
Materials and Methods
Clinical data of 100 patients with metastatic NSCLC treated with ICI monotherapy at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH) were retrospectively reviewed. Genomic and clinical datasets of The Cancer Genome Atlas and an ICI-treated lung cancer cohort (cBioPortal) were also analyzed.
Results
In SNUBH cohort, no statistically significant difference was observed in the median progression-free survival (PFS) according to TP53 mutation status (p=0.930); however, female patients with TP53 mutations (MT) had a significantly prolonged median PFS compared to wild-type (WT) (6.1 months in TP53 MT vs. 2.6 months in TP53 WT; p=0.021). Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) high (≥ 50%) expression was significantly enriched in female patients with TP53 MT (p=0.005). The analysis from publicly available dataset also revealed that females with NSCLC with TP53 MT showed significantly longer PFS than those with TP53 WT (p < 0.001). In The Cancer Genome Atlas analysis, expression of immune-related genes, and tumor mutation burden score in TP53 MT females were higher than in males without TP53 MT.
Conclusion
Female patients with NSCLC with TP53 mutations had high PD-L1 expression and showed favorable clinical outcomes following ICI therapy, suggesting a need for further research to explore the role of TP53 mutations for sex disparities in response to ICI therapy.

Citations

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Association Between TP53 Mutations and Platinum Resistance in a Cohort of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer Patients: Novel Implications for Personalized Therapeutics
Clelia Madeddu, Eleonora Lai, Manuela Neri, Elisabetta Sanna, Giulia Gramignano, Sonia Nemolato, Mario Scartozzi, Sabrina Giglio, Antonio Macciò
International Journal of Molecular Sciences.2025; 26(5): 2232. CrossRef
Prognostic and predictive implications of tumor suppressor gene alterations in non-small cell lung cancer
Marco Sposito, Lorenzo Belluomini, Riccardo Nocini, Jessica Insolda, Ilaria Mariangela Scaglione, Jessica Menis, Michele Simbolo, Antonio Lugini, Federica Buzzacchino, Francesco Verderame, Francesca Spinnato, Giuseppe Aprile, Lorenzo Calvetti, Mario Occhi
Scientific Reports.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Enhanced tumor heterogeneity mediates poor prognosis in females with TP53 mutation in lung adenocarcinoma
Liudan Mai, Xinxin Yang, Chen Shao, Hongwei Yu, Fenqi Du, Jialu Liu, Yue Guan, Hao Li, Maopeng Yang, Hongxue Meng, Qiuju Zhang
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules.2025; 334: 149083. CrossRef

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Gastrointestinal cancer

Longitudinal Comparative Analysis of Circulating Tumor DNA and Matched Tumor Tissue DNA in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Receiving Palliative First-Line Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy: Seung-been Lee, Ji-Won Kim, Hong-Geun Kim, Sung-Hyun Hwang, Kui-Jin Kim, Ju Hyun Lee, Jeongmin Seo, Minsu Kang, Eun Hee Jung, Koung Jin Suh, Se Hyun Kim, Jin Won Kim, Yu Jung Kim, Jee Hyun Kim, Nak-Jung Kwon, Keun-Wook Lee; Cancer Res Treat. 2024;56(4):1171-1182. Published online April 29, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2024.016

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub

Purpose
This study aimed to compare tumor tissue DNA (ttDNA) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) to explore the clinical applicability of ctDNA and to better understand clonal evolution in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer undergoing palliative first-line systemic therapy.
Materials and Methods
We performed targeted sequencing analysis of 88 cancer-associated genes using germline DNA, ctDNA at baseline (baseline-ctDNA), and ctDNA at progressive disease (PD-ctDNA). The results were compared with ttDNA data.
Results
Among 208 consecutively enrolled patients, we selected 84 (41 males; median age, 59 years; range, 35 to 90 years) with all four sample types available. A total of 202 driver mutations were found in 34 genes. ttDNA exhibited the highest mutation frequency (n=232), followed by baseline-ctDNA (n=155) and PD-ctDNA (n=117). Sequencing ctDNA alongside ttDNA revealed additional mutations in 40 patients (47.6%). PD-ctDNA detected 13 novel mutations in 10 patients (11.9%) compared to ttDNA and baseline-ctDNA. Notably, seven mutations in five patients (6.0%) were missense or nonsense mutations in APC, TP53, SMAD4, and CDH1 genes. In baseline-ctDNA, higher maximal variant allele frequency (VAF) values (p=0.010) and higher VAF values of APC (p=0.012), TP53 (p=0.012), and KRAS (p=0.005) mutations were significantly associated with worse overall survival.
Conclusion
While ttDNA remains more sensitive than ctDNA, our ctDNA platform demonstrated validity and potential value when ttDNA was unavailable. Post-treatment analysis of PD-ctDNA unveiled new pathogenic mutations, signifying cancer’s clonal evolution. Additionally, baseline-ctDNA’s VAF values were prognostic after treatment.

Citations

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Precision-Guided Durable Response From Venetoclax With Decitabine in a Patient With a Metastatic Refractory IDH2 -Mutant Cholangiocarcinoma
Eylül Özgü, Ünal Metin Tokat, Ashkan Adibi, Şevval Nur Bilgiç, Esranur Aydın, Onur Tutar, Mutlu Demiray
JCO Precision Oncology.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Evolution of Neo-RAS-WT in Circulating Tumor DNA from First-Line to Subsequent Therapies in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Marco Siringo, Michela De Meo, Irene Bottillo, Paola Grammatico, Enrico Cortesi, Chiara Nicolazzo, Paola Gazzaniga
Cancers.2025; 17(7): 1070. CrossRef
Liquid biopsy in gastrointestinal oncology: clinical applications and translational integration of ctDNA, CTCs, and sEVs
Rita Palieri, Maria De Luca, Francesco Balestra, Giorgia Panzetta, Claudio Lotesoriere, Federica Rizzi, Angela Dalia Ricci, Rita Mastrogiacomo, Maria Lucia Curri, Luigi Andrea Laghi, Gianluigi Giannelli, Nicoletta Depalo, Maria Principia Scavo
Oncology Reviews.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Circulating Tumor DNA as a Biomarker for Precision Medicine in Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review
Nouhaila Chanhih, Abdelilah Laraqui, Salma Hassine, Ahmed Ameur, Larbi Hamedoun, Hicham El Annaz, Rachid Abi, Mohamed Rida Tagajdid, Idriss Lahlou Amine, Khalid Ennibi, Abdelaziz Benjouad, Lamiae Belayachi
International Journal of Molecular Sciences.2025; 26(22): 11049. CrossRef

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Palliative medicine

Development of a Prediction Model for Delirium in Hospitalized Patients with Advanced Cancer: Eun Hee Jung, Shin Hye Yoo, Si Won Lee, Beodeul Kang, Yu Jung Kim; Cancer Res Treat. 2024;56(4):1277-1287. Published online February 26, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2023.1243

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub

Purpose
Delirium is a common neurocognitive disorder in patients with advanced cancer and is associated with poor clinical outcomes. As a potentially reversible phenomenon, early recognition of delirium by identifying the risk factors demands attention. We aimed to develop a model to predict the occurrence of delirium in hospitalized patients with advanced cancer.
Materials and Methods
This retrospective study included patients with advanced cancer admitted to the oncology ward of four tertiary cancer centers in Korea for supportive cares and excluded those discharged due to death. The primary endpoint was occurrence of delirium. Sociodemographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, and concomitant medication were investigated for associating variables. The predictive model developed using multivariate logistic regression was internally validated by bootstrapping.
Results
From January 2019 to December 2020, 2,152 patients were enrolled. The median age of patients was 64 years, and 58.4% were male. A total of 127 patients (5.9%) developed delirium during hospitalization. In multivariate logistic regression, age, body mass index, hearing impairment, previous delirium history, length of hospitalization, chemotherapy during hospitalization, blood urea nitrogen and calcium levels, and concomitant antidepressant use were significantly associated with the occurrence of delirium. The predictive model combining all four categorized variables showed the best performance among the developed models (area under the curve 0.831, sensitivity 80.3%, and specificity 72.0%). The calibration plot showed optimal agreement between predicted and actual probabilities through internal validation of the final model.
Conclusion
We proposed a successful predictive model for the risk of delirium in hospitalized patients with advanced cancer.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Association Between Blood Urea Nitrogen and Delirium in Critically Ill Elderly Patients Without Kidney Diseases: A Retrospective Study and Mendelian Randomization Analysis
Yipeng Fang, Xiaohong Tang, Ying Gao, Hui Xie, Yuehao Shen, Min Peng, Jie Liu, Yunfei Zhang, Yan Cui, Keliang Xie
CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics.2025;[Epub] CrossRef

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