Table 1.
Patient and tumor characteristics n (%)
| Non-PCRT, n = 724 | PCRT, n = 243 | P value | |
| Age (mean ± SD) (yr) | 54 ± 10.3 | 59.2 ± 11.3 | < 0.001 |
| < 50 | 154 (21.3) | 80 (32.9) | |
| 50-65 | 346 (47.8) | 130 (53.5) | < 0.001 |
| > 65 | 224 (30.9) | 33 (13.6) | |
| Gender | 0.005 | ||
| Male | 434 (59.9) | 148 (60.9) | |
| Female | 290 (40.1) | 95 (39.1) | |
| Location1 | < 0.001 | ||
| 6-10 cm | 474 (65.5) | 100 (41.2) | |
| ≤ 5 cm | 250 (34.5) | 143 (58.8) | |
| Sphincter preservation | 600 (82.9) | 177 (72.8) | < 0.001 |
| Among patients with low rectum | 133 (53.2) | 81 (56.6) | 0.370 |
| LNR2 | 0.25 ± 0.24 | 0.252 ± 0.19 | 0.170 |
| Number of harvested LNs | 18.2 ± 8.5 | 14.8 ± 7.1 | < 0.001 |
| < 12 LNs harvested | 153 (21.1) | 96 (39.5) | < 0.001 |
| Number of positive LNs | 3.9 ± 3.7 | 2.8 ± 2.8 | < 0.001 |
| p/yp N category | < 0.001 | ||
| p/yp N1 | 445 (61.5) | 181 (74.5) | |
| p/yp N2 | 279 (38.5) | 62 (25.5) | |
| Follow-up duration, (Interquartile range) (mo) | 60 (39-80) | 56 (43-68) | 0.540 |
1
From the anal verge;
2
Lymph node ratio. PCRT: Preoperative chemoradiotherapy; LNR: Lymph node ratio; LNs: Lymph nodes.