TABLE 1.

Characteristics of pN0 patients with different ELNs

Characteristics	Total		ELNs ≤ 15		16 ≤ ELNs ≤ 29		ELNs ≥ 30		P‐value
	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%
Total	4607	100	1238	26.87	2121	46.04	1248	27.09
Age at diagnosis (y)
Mean (SD)	58.14	10.837	59.16	10.840	58.22	10.993	57.00	10.46	<.001
Younger (≤35)	139	3.0	26	2.1	72	3.4	41	3.3	<.001
Middle‐aged (36‐65)	3258	70.7	831	67.1	1484	70	943	75.6
Older (≥66)	1210	26.3	381	30.8	565	26.6	264	21.2
Gender
Male	3467	75.3	970	78.4	1601	75.5	896	71.8	.001
Female	1140	24.7	268	21.6	520	24.5	352	28.2
Year at diagnosis
2000‐2004	550	11.9	326	26.3	176	8.3	48	3.8	<.001
2005‐2009	959	20.8	489	39.5	365	17.2	105	8.4
2010‐2013	1494	32.4	288	23.3	767	36.2	439	35.2
2014‐2017	1604	34.8	135	10.9	813	38.3	656	62.6
Type of gastrectomy
Proximal	1528	33.2	549	44.3	704	33.2	275	22.0	<.001
Distal	2467	53.5	616	49.8	1097	51.7	754	60.4
Total	612	13.3	73	5.9	320	15.1	219	17.5
Grade
Well	318	7.3	95	8.4	163	8.0	60	5.0	<.001
Well‐Moderately	294	6.8	68	6.0	146	7.2	80	6.7
Moderately	1107	25.4	314	27.9	536	26.5	257	21.4
Poorly‐Moderately	1038	23.8	241	21.4	493	24.3	304	25.3
Poorly	1596	36.7	408	36.2	688	34.0	500	41.6
Vascular invasion
Yes	693	15.7	114	10.1	350	16.9	229	18.6	<.001
No	3734	84.3	1014	89.9	1719	83.1	1001	81.4
Nerve invasion	4427
Yes	1144	25.9	96	8.6	639	30.9	409	33.3	<.001
No	3276	74.1	1025	91.4	1432	69.1	819	66.7
Pathologic T stage
T1 + Tis	1670	36.2	523	42.2	694	32.7	453	36.3	<.001
T2	939	20.4	250	20.2	449	21.2	240	19.2
T3	862	18.7	125	10.1	447	21.1	290	23.2
T4	1136	24.7	340	27.5	531	25.0	265	21.2
Adjuvant therapy
Yes	1510	59.2	335	58.5	759	60.6	416	57.5	.352
No	1039	40.8	238	41.5	493	39.4	308	42.5
ELNs
Mean (SD)	23.61	12.935	9.92	3.880	22.15	3.903	39.68	11.349	<.001