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Article History

Received: 17 July 2025

Accepted: 22 October 2025

First Online: 25 December 2025

Declarations

:

: Min Hee Hong reports receiving research funding from AstraZeneca, MSD, Novartis, and Yuhan; honoraria from AstraZeneca, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, MSD, Ono Pharmaceutical, Takeda, Roche, Pfizer, and Yuhan; participation in clinical trials funded by AbbVie, IMPACT, Ignyta, Loxo Oncology, Novartis, Merck Serono, ORIC, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, MSD, Roche, and Pfizer; and stock ownership in GI Cell, GI Biome, and Pfizer. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest. Beung-Chul Ahn has served in an advisory role for Amgen Korea, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Guardant, Merck Sharp and Dohme, Merck Serono, Roche Korea, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, and Yuhan. He has been an invited speaker for Amgen Korea, AstraZeneca Korea, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Boryung, Dong-A ST, Guardant, Merck Sharp and Dohme, Mundipharma Korea, Novartis Korea, Roche Korea, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, and Yuhan. Additionally, he has received institutional research grants from Boryung and Yuhan. Hye Ryun Kim reports clinical trial support to her institution from AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Genentech/Roche, Pfizer, Beigene, Takeda, and Yuhan; participation in advisory boards for Bayer, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Takeda, Daiichi, and Yuhan; and research funding from the Yonsei Lee Youn Jae Fellowship outside of the current work. Dae Joon Kim has nothing to declare. Byoung Chul Cho reports receiving royalties from Champions Oncology, Crown Bioscience, Imagen, and PearlRiver Bio GmbH; research funding from GIInnovation, AstraZeneca, Champions Oncology, CJ Bioscience, Cyrus, Janssen, MSD, Dong-A ST, Yuhan, ImmuneOncia, Therapex, J INTS Bio, and Vertical Bio AG; serving in a consulting or advisory role for BeiGene, Novartis, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Roche, Bristol Myers Squibb, CJ, Cyrus Therapeutics, Ono Pharmaceuticals, Yuhan, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Takeda, MSD, Gilead, Amgen, Daiichi Sankyo, Regeneron, Sanofi, AnHeart Therapeutics, Seagen, Harpoon Therapeutics, GSK, and ArriVent; serving on the advisory boards of KANAPH Therapeutics, BridgeBio Therapeutics, Cyrus Therapeutics, Guardant Health, J INTS Bio, and Therapex; receiving honoraria for invited speaking engagements from ASCO, AstraZeneca, Guardant, Roche, ESMO, IASLC, Korean Cancer Association, Korean Society of Medical Oncology, Korean Society of Thyroid-Head and Neck Surgery, Korean Cancer Study Group, Novartis, MSD, the Chinese Thoracic Oncology Society, Pfizer, and Zailab; holding stock or shares in TheraCanVac Inc, Gencurix Inc, BridgeBio Therapeutics, KANAPH Therapeutics, Cyrus Therapeutics, Interpark Bio Convergence Corp., and J INTS Bio; being the founder of DAAN Biotherapeutics; and serving as a member of the board of directors of J INTS Bio. Sung Kwan Shin, Su-Jin Choi, Seong Yong Park, Dae Joon Kim, Chang Geol Lee, Jaeho Cho, Jong Hoon Kim, Hyeong Ryul Kim, Yong-Hee Kim, Gang-Taik Lee, Sook Ryun Park, and Sang Kil Lee declare that they have no conflict of interest.

: The study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02844075). The protocol was approved by the institutional review board (IRB) of Yonsei Cancer Center (IRB No: 4-2016-0199) and of Asan Medical Center (IRB No: 2017–1048). Patients provided written informed consent. The study was conducted following the Helsinki Declaration and Good Clinical Practice Guidelines of the International Conference on Harmonization.