Table 1.
Characteristics of the 1996 and 2003/04 cohorts
| Characteristic | Cohort; no. (%) of patients* | p value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996, n = 283 | 2003/04, n = 367 | ||
| Age, yr, mean (range) | 67.4 (36–95) | 67.8 (32–92) | 0.70 |
| Sex | 0.30 | ||
| Female | 117 (41.3) | 137 (37.3) | |
| Male | 166 (58.6) | 230 (62.6) | |
| Distance from anal verge | < 0.001 | ||
| Distal (< 5 cm) | 56 (19.7) | 119 (32.4) | |
| Mid (5–10 cm) | 129 (45.5) | 153 (41.6) | |
| Upper (> 10 cm) | 98 (34.6) | 95 (25.8) | |
| Type of resection | 0.65 | ||
| Anterior and Hartmann | 181 (63.9) | 241 (65.6) | |
| Abdominoperineal | 102 (36.0) | 126 (34.3) | |
| Stage | 0.06 | ||
| 1 | 95 (33.5) | 111 (30.2) | |
| 2 | 99 (34.9) | 108 (29.4) | |
| 3 | 89 (31.4) | 148 (40.3) | |
| Circumferential resection margin | < 0.001 | ||
| Positive | 12 (4.2) | 37 (10.0) | |
| Negative | 118 (41.6) | 319 (86.9) | |
| Unknown | 153 (54.0) | 11 (2.9) | |
| Radiotherapy | < 0.001 | ||
| None | 179 (63.2) | 130 (35.4) | |
| Preoperative | 10 (3.5) | 197 (53.6) | |
| Postoperative | 94 (33.2) | 40 (10.8) | |
*
Unless otherwise indicated.