CCL7 and CCL21 overexpression in gastric cancer is associated with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis

AIM： To investigate how a complex network of CC chemokine ligands （eeLs） and their receptors influence the progression of tumor and metastasis.METHODS： In the present study, we used immunohistochemistry to examine the expression of CCL7, CCL8 and CCL21 in 194 gastric cancer samples and adjacent normal tissues. We analyzed their correlation with tumor metastasis, clinicopathologic parameters and clinical outcome.RESULTS： We found that the higher expression of CCL7 and CCL21 in cancer tissues than in normal tissues was significantly correlated with advanced depth of wall invasion, lymph node metastasis and higher tumornode metastasis stage. Moreover, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that CCL7 and CCL21 overexpression in cancer tissues was correlated with poor prognosis.CONCLUSION： These results suggest that overexpression of these two CC chemokine ligands is associ- ated with tumor metastasis and serves as a prognostic factor in patients with gastric cancer.

Simultaneous bilateral floating knee:A case report

BACKGROUND The phrase “floating knee is a flail knee joint,” referring to ipsilateral femoral and tibial fractures,was first used by Blake and Mc Bryde in 1975.This condition is often caused by a high-energy trauma with often extensive injury to the soft tissues,and is accompanied by life-threatening systemic complications,including head,chest or abdominal injuries and a high incidence of fat embolism.Floating knee is a severe and uncommon injury pattern.CASE SUMMARY A 27-year-old man sustained multiple injuries when the electric motorcycle he was riding was hit by a van.His injuries included traumatic hypovolemic shock,comminuted and open type II fractures of the left femoral shaft,fracture of the right femoral shaft,comminuted fracture of the bilateral tibial and fibular shaft,and multiple lacerations and abrasions on his forehead,lower lip,neck and limbs.The diagnosis was simultaneous bilateral floating knee complicated with soft tissue injuries.After emergency treatment and the exclusion of life-threating complications,open reduction and internal fixation were successfully performed using plates and screws in the bilateral femoral and tibial shafts.CONCLUSION Simultaneous bilateral floating knee is a rare and severe injury pattern.The treatment is challenging,and complications.We present a case report of a young adult who suffered from bilateral floating knees during road traffic accident.We also offer our treatment experience of this complex injury and review past literature.

Cervicogenic exophthalmos: Possible etiology and pathogenesis

BACKGROUND Unilateral exophthalmos is often caused by inflammation, neoplasm, infection,metabolic disease, vascular disorder and several other less common conditions.Reflex sympathetic dystrophy related to unilateral exophthalmos has not been reported in the past literature.CASE SUMMARY We describe a 45-year-old female with unilateral exophthalmos caused by reflex sympathetic dystrophy and its unexpected spontaneous disappearance after a standard anterior cervical discectomy and fixation operation with two PEEK interbody cages and a plate. To our surprise, the patient’s left unilateral exophthalmos improved spontaneously in the morning on postoperative day 2-with no relapse, without any further medication, as of seven years. We have named this condition "cervicogenic exophthalmos."CONCLUSION We would inform other clinicians that unilateral exophthalmos was caused not only by inflammation, vascular disorder, infection, neoplasm, or metabolic disease, but also by reflex sympathetic dystrophy related with cervicogenic spondylosis. To the best of our knowledge, ours is the first related case report and use of the term "cervicogenic exophthalmos" after reviewing previous literature.