TABLE 1. Clinicopathologic characteristics of 40 GC patients pN0 by H&E with and without CK-positive tumor cells in LN by immunostaining.
| Variable | CK-negative | CK-positive | p |
| n= 28 (%) | n=12 (%) | ||
| Gender | 0.72 | ||
| Female | 12 (49.9) | 4 (33.3) | |
| Male | 16 (57.1) | 8 (66.7) | |
| Tumor location | 0.14 | ||
| Proximal | 8 (28.6) | 2 (16.7) | |
| Middle | 9 (32.1) | 3 (25) | |
| Distal | 10 (35.7) | 4 (33.3) | |
| Anastomosis | 0 (0) | 2 (16.7) | |
| NA | 1 (3.6) | 1 (8.33) | |
| Size of the lesion | 0.18 | ||
| Mean (cm) | 2.8 | 4.0 | |
| < 4.5 cm | 18 (64.3) | 5 (41.7) | |
| ≥ 4.5 cm | 10 (35.7) | 7 (58.3) | |
| Borrmann type | 0.38 | ||
| I | 5 (17.9) | 0 (0) | |
| II | 3 (10.7) | 1 (8.33) | |
| III | 17 (60.7) | 10 (83.3) | |
| IV | 1 (3.6) | 1 (8.33) | |
| Undetermined | 2 (7.2) | 0 (0) | |
| Lauren´s classification | 1 | ||
| Intestinal-type | 17 (60.7) | 7 (58.3) | |
| Diffuse-type | 9 (32.1) | 4 (33.3) | |
| NA | 2 (7.2) | 1 (8.33) | |
| Grade of histological differentiation | 1 | ||
| G1/G2 - well/moderate differentiated | 13 (46.4) | 6 (50) | |
| G3 - poorly differentiated | 15 (53.6) | 6 (50) | |
| Depth of invasion | 0.355 | ||
| Early | 11 (39.3) | 0 (0) | |
| Advanced | 17 (60.7) | 12 (100) | |
| Pathologic T stage | 0.002 | ||
| T1 / T2 | 20 (71.4) | 2 (16.7) | |
| T3 / T4 | 8 (28.6) | 10 (83.3) | |
| Number of LN evaluated | |||
| Mean | 36.5 | 34.7 | 0.41 |
| ≤ 25 | 5 (17.9) | 4 (33.3) | |
| > 25 | 23 (82.1) | 8 (66.7) | |
| Venous invasion | 0.016 | ||
| Absent | 23 (82.1) | 5 (41.7) | |
| Present | 4 (14.3) | 7 (58.3) | |
| NA | 1 (8.33) | 0 (0) | |
| Lymphatic invasion | 0.006 | ||
| Absent | 20 (71.4) | 3 (25) | |
| Present | 7 (25) | 9 (75) | |
| NA | 1 (8.33) | 0 (0) | |
| Perineural invasion | 0.040 | ||
| Absent | 19 (67.8) | 4 (33.3) | |
| Present | 8 (28.6) | 8 (66.7) | |
| NA | 1 (8.33) | 0 (0) | |
| Lymphocytic peritumoral response | |||
| Mild / nearly absent | 9 (32.1) | 9 (75) | 0.012 |
| Moderate / Intense | 17 (60.7) | 2 (16.7) | |
| NA | 2 (7.2) | 1 (8.33) | |
| Neoadjuvant chemotherapy | 0.209 | ||
| Yes | 1 (8.33) | 2 (16.7) | |
| No | 27 (96.4) | 10 (83.3) | |
| Disease Recurrence | 0.4 | ||
| Yes | 4 (14.3) | 3 (25) | |
| No | 24 (85.7) | 9 (75) | |
NA=not available