Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of the eligible patients in the UNITED cohort
| Baseline characteristics | UNITED cohort (N = 1388) |
|---|---|
| Sex | |
| Female | 618 (45) |
| Male | 770 (55) |
| Age at surgery | |
| Median age (years) | 69 (61-77) |
| ≥75 years | 453 (33) |
| Biopsy taken | |
| Yes, preoperative endoscopy | 1210 (87) |
| Yes, other methoda | 13 (1) |
| Nob | 165 (12) |
| Surgery | |
| Surgery year | 2019 (2018-2020) |
| Pathological stage | |
| Stage II | 723 (52) |
| Stage III | 665 (48) |
| Lymph nodes | |
| Examined (in the total group) | 20 (15-28) |
| Positive (in pTNM stage III)c | 2 (1-4) |
| Tumor–stroma ratio | |
| Stroma-low (≤50%) | 960 (69) |
| Stroma-high (>50%) | 428 (31) |
All variables are given as absolute numbers with associated percentages or medians with interquartile ranges. Sum of percentages can be less or more than 100 due to rounding.
TNM, tumor–node–metastasis.
a
Other methods for biopsy are, e.g. during surgery.
b
Reasons why biopsy was not taken are, e.g. in emergency setting (obstructive ileus).
c
Using the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) TNM version 8, a tumor deposit (leading to stage N1c) will also lead to a pTNM stage III, also when there are no positive lymph nodes.