Table 3. Multivariate Cox regression analysis and hazard models of independent factors influencing overall- and disease-free survival in the entire study cohort (UICC I-IV) and early tumour stages (UICC I+II).

	overall survival		disease-free survival
	multivariate HR (95% CI)	P	multivariate HR (95% CI)	P
UICC I-IV
CK20 < 2.77 vs ≥ 2.77 [EU]	2.49 (1.77 – 3.49)	<0.001	2.34 (1.69 – 3.22)	<0.001
age < 70 vs. ≥ 70 [years]	1.27 (0.90 – 1,79)	0.172	n.d.
UICC I+II vs. III+IV	7.85 (5.08 – 12.15)	<0.001	7.39 (4.90 – 11.16)	<0.001
adj. treatment yes vs. no	1.10 (0.77 – 1.56)	0.610	1.09 (0.78 – 1.53)	0.606
UICC I+II
CK20 < 2.77 vs. ≥ 2.77 [EU]	2.25 (1.06 – 4.77)	0.035	2.01 (1.01 – 4.01)	0.047
age < 70 vs. ≥ 70 [years]	1.59 (0.73 – 3.47)	0.245	n.d.
colon vs. rectum	0.22 (0.09 – 0.50)	<0.001	0.27 (0.13 – 0.57)	0.001
pT1/2 vs. pT3/4	4.50 (1.99 – 10.17)	<0.001	4.17 (1.97 – 8.85)	<0.001

All P values in bold, are regarded as statistically significant; n.d.: the value was not significant in univariate analysis and therefore not considered in multivariate analysis; HR: hazard ratio, CI: confidence interval; CK20: cytokeratin 20; EU: expression units.