Biomedical subjects

Song Cheol Kim

Publications and source records attributed to Song Cheol Kim.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

Liquid biopsy for early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

There is no clinically relevant blood-based assay for the detection of early-stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a solid malignancy characterized by poor outcomes. Here we developed, validated and tested a blood-based microRNA (miRNA) assay (which included hsa-miR-142-3p, hsa-miR-30c-5p, hsa-miR-335-5p, hsa-miR-340-5p, hsa-miR-200b-3p, hsa-miR-1260b, hsa-miR-145-3p, hsa-miR-145-5p, hsa-miR-429 and hsa-miR-200a-3p) and a composite score, PANXEON (PANcreatic cancer eXosome Early detectiON), that integrates the miRNA signature with carbohydrate antigen 19-9 for the detection of early-stage PDAC. We conducted an international, multicenter, observational, prospective biomarker study that involved 1,785 individuals with and without PDAC from four countries. The miRNA signature achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 88.6% in the testing cohort, with a sensitivity of 83.8% for early-stage PDAC, while showing minimal cross-reactivity with other gastrointestinal cancers. In a cohort of 19 individuals, the miRNA signature levels decreased during neoadjuvant chemotherapy and after surgery and increased before disease recurrence. When combined with carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels, this blood assay demonstrated a sensitivity of 86.8% for stage I-II PDAC, false-positive rates of 3.2% in low-risk controls and 15.6% in high-risk controls in the testing cohort. PANXEON demonstrates potential for detecting high-grade dysplasia in individuals with high-risk pancreatic cysts (64.3%). Collectively, we present a composite biomarker that may complement existing strategies for the detection of early-stage PDAC and warrants further large-scale prospective studies. ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT06388967 .

Journal Article↗

PubMed2026

Molecular profiling of pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma and amphicrine-like carcinoma: high frequency of homologous recombination deficiency and molecular heterogeneity.

BACKGROUND: The 6th edition of the WHO Classification of Digestive System Tumours distinguishes amphicrine-like carcinomas (ALCs) from mixed neuroendocrine-non-neuroendocrine neoplasms (MiNENs). Acinar cell carcinomas (ACCs) with an intimately admixed and not separated neuroendocrine component comprising >30% of the tumour are classified as amphicrine-like ACCs (AL-ACCs). We characterised the genomic landscape of pancreatic ACCs and AL-ACCs to validate current classification and identify therapeutic targets. METHODS: Among 2,151 pancreatic biopsy and resection cases that underwent targeted next-generation sequencing using the OncoPanel AMC v4.3 or v4.5 (DNA-based hybrid capture, targeting 323 genes (v4.3) or 343 genes (v4.5)), eight ACCs, seven AL-ACCs originally diagnosed as MiNENs under the 5th edition of the WHO classification scheme, and four neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) were identified, diagnosed between 2020 and 2026. RESULTS: Homologous recombination deficiency (HRD)-associated alterations, involving BRCA1/2, ATM and FANCD2, were identified in 87.5% (7/8) of ACCs and 29% of AL-ACCs. One ACC had an ATRX nonsense mutation. Genomic heterogeneity was observed in molecular profiling of AL-ACCs; two demonstrated a 'true hybrid' signature with co-occurrence of lineage-specific drivers: MEN1 deletion and splice site mutation (neuroendocrine-associated), APC, SMAD4 and CTNNB1 alterations (exocrine-associated). Two others exhibited 'ACC-like' signatures, including missense BRCA1 and nonsense TP53 mutations and MDM4 and AKT3 amplifications, located on chromosome 1q, despite their neuroendocrine differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic ACCs frequently harbour HRD-related alterations, suggesting potential for PARP-inhibitor therapy. AL-ACCs comprise molecularly heterogeneous groups, including true hybrid and ACC-like patterns. Larger studies are required to elucidate the molecular distinction between true hybrid AL-ACCs and those with single-lineage alterations to refine their classification.

acinar↗

PubMed2026

An Exosomal Signature for Preoperative Detection of Occult Liver Metastasis in Pancreatic Cancer.

IMPORTANCE: Early liver metastasis (early-LiM) after pancreatectomy represents an aggressive biological phenotype of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and is associated with markedly poor survival. Reliable preoperative biomarkers to identify occult hepatic micrometastasis remain lacking. OBJECTIVE: To develop and externally validate a circulating exosomal microRNA (exo-miRNA)-based machine learning model for preoperative detection of occult early-LiM in PDAC. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This multicenter retrospective case-control study included 3 phases: genome-wide discovery using exo-miRNA sequencing (discovery cohort), model development (training cohort), and independent external validation (2 validation cohorts). The study took place at 4 medical centers in China, Japan, and South Korea. A total of 372 patients were enrolled between 2011 and 2024. Data were analyzed from July 2024 to November 2025. EXPOSURES: Circulating plasma-derived exosomal miRNA expression profiles. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was early-LiM, defined as liver recurrence within 6 months after curative-intent resection. Model performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and survival outcomes were assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: Among 372 patients with PDAC (median [IQR] age, 67 [59-73] years; 229 [61.6%] male and 143 [38.4%] female; median follow-up among survivors, 969 days),early-LiM was associated with significantly worse overall survival compared with other recurrence patterns (median OS, 9.1 months vs 26.6-31.8 months; log-rank P < .001). A 7-exo-miRNA extreme gradient boosting model demonstrated discrimination in the training cohort (AUC, 0.899; 95% CI, 0.822-0.976) and maintained performance in external testing cohorts (AUC, 0.876; 95% CI, 0.846-0.951 and AUC, 0.862; 95% CI, 0.744-0.981). The exo-miRNA panel score remained an independent identifier of early-LiM in multivariable analysis (odds ratio, 26.49; 95% CI, 18.45-55.28; P < .001) and stratified overall survival (log-rank P < .001). Decision curve analysis suggested improved net clinical benefit compared with conventional clinicopathologic variables. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: In this multicenter study, a circulating exo-miRNA-based machine learning model enabled preoperative detection of occult early liver metastasis risk in PDAC. These findings support the potential of exosomal biomarkers to inform biology-guided treatment sequencing and warrant prospective validation.

Journal Article↗