Objective To explore the relationship between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection with serum human kissin-1 (KISS-1) and matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) levels and prognosis in patients with colon cancer. Methods A total of 86 colon cancer patients who were hospitalized in our hospital from April 2015 to April 2016 were selected as the colon cancer group; in the same period, 84 cases of physical examination person in our hospital were selected as the control group. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to test colon cancer patients for EBV DNA, and divided the patients into EBV DNA negative group and EBV DNA positive group according to the test results. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) method was used to detect serum KISS-1 and MMP2 levels. Pearson method was used to analyze the correlation between serum KISS-1 and MMP2 levels in patients with colon cancer infected with EBV. The survival curve was drawn by Kaplan-Meier method, and the relationship between EBV infection and prognosis of colon cancer patients was analyzed by log-rank test. Multivariate Cox regression analysis were used to analyze the factors affecting the prognosis of colon cancer patients. Results Compared with the control group, the positive rate of EBV DNA in the colon cancer group was higher (χ2=21.854, P<0.001). The EBV DNA positive rate of patients with lymph node metastasis, TNM stage Ⅲ–Ⅳ, tumor low differentiation and tumor infiltration T3–T4 was higher than those without lymph node metastasis, TNM stage Ⅰ–Ⅱ, tumor high/medium differentiation and tumor infiltration T1–T2 (P<0.05). Compared with the EBV DNA negative group, the serum KISS-1 level of the EBV DNA positive group decreased, and the MMP2 level increased (P<0.001). There was a negative correlation between serum KISS-1 and MMP2 levels in colon cancer patients with EBV infection (r=–0.510, P<0.001). The 5-year survival rates of colon cancer patients in the EBV DNA-negative group and the EBV DNA-positive group were 52.94% (27/51) and 14.29% (5/35), respectively, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (χ2=13.274, P<0.001). EBV infection, MMP2 high expression, and lymph node metastasis were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of colon cancer patients (P<0.05), and KISS-1 low expression was a protective factor affecting the prognosis of colon cancer patients (P<0.05). Conclusions EBV infection is closely related to the progression and prognosis of colon cancer. The down-regulation of KISS-1 and the up-regulation of MMP2 may be related to EBV infection.
Objective To investigate the anatomy of anterior and posterior terminal perforators of the peroneal artery and its clinical applications. Methods Six lower limb specimens were obtained from 3 fresh cadavers. The anterior and posterior terminal perforators and the perforator of terminal peroneal artery were exposed under surgical microscope, and the distances from the beginning of each perforator branch to the lateral malleolus tip and the external diameter of each perforator were measured. With these anatomical knowledge and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) guidance, the pedicle flaps with above-mentioned perforators were rationally selected and precisely designed for 18 patients with skin defects in the ankle and foot region between October 2016 and December 2018. Among the patients, there were 14 males and 4 females, aged 28-62 years, with an average age of 40 years. The area of wound ranged from 4 cm×3 cm to 13 cm×10 cm and the area of skin flap ranged from 5 cm×4 cm to 14 cm×10 cm. The anterior peroneal artery terminal perforator flap were applied in 13 cases and the posterior peroneal artery terminal perforator flap in 5 cases. The donor sites were closed directly in 7 cases and repaired with full thickness skin graft in 11 cases. Results The distance from the beginning of the anterior terminal perforator to the lateral malleolus tip was (5.1±0.5) cm, the external diameter of the anterior terminal perforator was (1.51±0.05) mm. The distance from the beginning of the posterior terminal perforator to the lateral malleolus tip was (4.9±0.9) cm, the external diameter was (1.78±0.17) mm; the distance from the beginning of the perforator of terminal peroneal artery to the lateral malleolus tip was (1.7±0.7) cm, the external diameter was (0.58±0.12) mm. Clinical application results: The edge of the flap was dark in 2 cases after operation and healed after surgical dressing, and 1 case of wound infection healed gradually after debridement. The other flaps survived and healed by first intention. Three patients underwent plastic surgery at 3 months after operation due to flap swelling. All patients were followed up 3-18 months. During the follow-up period, the flaps had good texture and appearance, and partial recovery of sensation. All cases were assessed by the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score at last follow-up. The results were excellent in 9 cases, good in 6 cases, fair in 2 cases, and poor in 1 case, with the excellent and good rate of 83.3%. ConclusionFurther classification of peroneal artery perforators in the lateral malleolus region can improve clinical understanding and be helpful to selection and application of perforator flaps in the lateral malleolus.