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Background Since 1995, the Korean Society for Cytopathology has overseen the Continuous Quality Improvement program for cytopathology laboratories. The Committee of Quality Improvement has carried out an annual survey of cytology data for each laboratory and set standards for proficiency tests. Methods Evaluations were conducted four times per year from 2008 to 2018 and comprised statistics regarding cytology diagnoses of previous years, proficiency tests using cytology slides provided by the committee, assessment of adequacy of gynecology (GYN) cytology slides, and submission of cytology slides for proficiency tests. Results A total of 206 institutes participated in 2017, and the results were as follows. The number of cytology tests increased from year to year. The ratio of liquid-based cytology in GYN gradually decreased, as most of the GYN cytology had been performed at commercial laboratories. The distribution of GYN diagnoses demonstrated nearly 3.0% as atypical squamous cells. The rate for squamous cell carcinoma was less than 0.02%. The atypical squamous cell/squamous intraepithelial lesion ratio was about 3:1 and showed an upward trend. The major discordant rate of cytology-histology in GYN cytology was less than 1%. The proficiency test maintained a major discordant rate less than 2%. The rate of inappropriate specimens for GYN cytology slides gradually decreased. Conclusions The Continuous Quality Improvement program should be included in quality assurance programs. Moreover, these data can contribute to development of national cancer examination guidelines and facilitate cancer prevention and treatment.

Background: Many activating mutations in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene have been correlated with sensitivity to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in exon 20 of EGFR gene (2361G>A transition) does not alter the amino acids of glutamine at codon 787 (Q787Q). We reviewed the relationship between this SNP and EGFR-TKI sensitivity. Patients and Methods: Twenty-five patients (male 19, female 6) with only SNP Q787Q in EGFR exon 20 were analyzed. Tissue or cytologic specimens were used for analysis of mutations in exon 18 to 21 of EGFR gene by direct sequencing. Treatments with EGFR-TKIs were performed in 16 patients and response evaluations were eligible in 15 cases. Results: In 15 response evaluable patients, there were 2 partial responses (PR) and 5 stable diseases (SD) [response rate: 13.3%, disease control rate: 46.7%]. Median time to progression (TTP) was 392 days (range: 105∼511). Five patients showed longer than 3 months of TTP (PR 2 and SD 3, adenocarcinoma 4 and squamous cell carcinoma 1, gefitinib 4 and erlotinib 1). Conclusion: Thirteen percent of NSCLC with 2361G>A transition without other activating mutations responded to EGFR-TKIs.