3.

Five-year survival rates and statistical results of different N-staging systems

Variables	n	5-YSR (%)	P
5-YSR, 5-year survival rates; UICC, Union for International Cancer Control; eLN, examined lymph nodes; NLN, number of retrieved negative lymph nodes; MLR, metastatic lymph node ratio; LODDS, log odds of positive lymph nodes.
6th UICC N-stage			<0.0001
N0	67	74.3
N1	66	49.3
N2	27	18.5
N3	4	0
7th UICC N-stage			<0.0001
N0	67	74.3
N1	33	52.1
N2	33	47.7
N3	31	19.0
8th UICC N-stage			<0.0001
N0	67	74.3
N1	33	52.1
N2	33	47.7
N3a	27	18.5
N3b	4	N/A
eLN			0.581
<16	127	54.2
≥16	37	60.0
NLN			0.209
0–9	117	52.2
10–14	24	52.3
≥15	23	73.1
MLR (%)			<0.0001
0	67	74.3
0.1–20.0	19	54.2
20.1–50.0	30	47.1
≥50.1	48	30.0
LODDS			<0.0001
< –1.125	29	81.9
–1.125 – –0.251	75	64.7
–0.250 – 0.749	43	31.0
≥0.750	17	0