2.

Operative variables of the included patients

Characteristics	TT group (N=109)	TA group (N=199)	P
TT, transthoracic; TA, transabdominal; LN, lymph node; #, expressed as median (P25, P75); *, calculated by Mann-Whitney U test; **, calculated by Fisher's exact test.
Resection degree, n (%)			0.357**
R0	103 (94.5)	193 (97.0)
R1/R2	6 (5.5)	6 (3.0)
Type of resection, n (%)			<0.001*
Total gastrectomy	0 (0)	55 (27.6)
Proximal gastrectomy	109 (100)	144 (72.4)
Simultaneous organ resection, n	4	9	1.000
Splenectomy	2	6
Pancreatic tail resection	2	1
Left liver resection	0	2
No. of LN#
Positive LN (total)	2 (0, 5)	2 (0, 8)	0.025*
Harvested LN (total)	10 (6, 15)	23 (16, 35)	<0.001*
Positive LN (perigastric)	2 (0, 5)	3 (1, 8)	0.004*
Harvested LN (perigastric)	8 (5, 10)	23 (16, 34)	<0.001*
Postoperative hospital stay (d)#	9 (8, 10)	10 (9, 12)	<0.001*
Blood loss (mL)#	300.0 (300.0, 375.0)	300.0 (200.0, 450.0)	0.584*
Operation duration (min)#	215.0 (172.5, 252.5)	240.0 (205.0, 285.0)	<0.001*