Table 4 Subgroup multivariate analysis of clinicopathologic factors related to disease-free and overall survival for the neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT) group, with a new LN cut-off of 9

Age at diagnosis (years)

< 50

7

82 ± 38

0.236

91 ± 35

0.082

50–64

44

65 ± 41

72 ± 40

65–74

26

63 ± 40

67 ± 36

> 75

17

62 ± 33

64 ± 38

Gender

Male

68

64 ± 35

0.770

68 ± 40

0.835

Female

26

72 ± 36

74 ± 38

Type of operation

Ultra-low anterior resection

51

56 ± 35

0.838

60 ± 41

0.907

Low anterior resection

16

67 ± 40

72 ± 40

Hartmann’s procedure

4

57 ± 41

61 ± 37

Abdominoperineal resection

23

74 ± 39

60 ± 36

Tumour staging

Stage 1

18

82 ± 40

0.008

86 ± 35

0.012

Stage 2

32

64 ± 37

60 ± 37

Stage 3

44

53 ± 37

57 ± 38

Lymph node harvest

< 9

21

52 ± 36

0.028

55 ± 39

0.009

≥ 9

73

63 ± 45

72 ± 40