The number of analyzed lymph nodes – a prognostic factor in colorectal cancer

Figures & data

Table I.  Patient's demographics, tumour site, stage and tumour differentiation.

Age
29–49	74
50–59	239
60–69	403
≥ 70	309
Gender
Male	579
Female	446
Localization
Colon	727
Rectum	298
Stage
II	498
III	527
Differentiation 996
Low	203
Median	718
High	75

Table II.  The number of examined lymph nodes versus site of tumours.

Localization of tumour Number of patients	Median number of examined lymph nodes	Mean number of examined lymph nodes	Range of number of examined lymph nodes
Right colon 326	6	7	0–31
Transverse colon 53	5	6	0–23
Left colon 66	6	7	0–32
Sigmoid colon 264	5	6	0–27
Colon unspecified 18	4	6	0–13
Colon 727	5	7	0–32
Rectum 298	4	5	0–22
with preoperative radiation 113	4	4	0–12
without preoperative radiation 185	5	6	0–22
Total number of patients: 1025	5	6	0–32

Figure 1.  The number of examined lymph nodes in 1 025 patients with colorectal cancer stage II and III.

Figure 2.  Kaplan-Meier plot of overall survival and the correlation to the number of examined lymph nodes. (A) Overall survival in 1025 patients with colorectal cancer stage II and III. (B) Overall survival in 498 patients with colorectal cancer stage II. (C) Overall survival in 527 patients with colorectal cancer stage III.

Table III.  Prognostic factors in the study population of 1025 patients with colorectal cancer stage II and III.

	No. of patients	Number of Deaths	(%)	Univariate analysis	Multivariate analysis
	1025	392	(38%)	p-value	p-value
Age				p = 0.04	p = 0.06
20–39	74	17	(23%)
40–59	239	95	(40%)
60–69	403	145	(36%)
> 70	309	135	(44%)
Stage				p < 0.0001	p < 0.0001
II	498	135	(27%)
III	527	257	(51%)
Differentiation 996				p < 0.009	p = 0.06
Low	203	93	(46%)
Median	718	267	(37%)
High	75	18	(24%)
Number of Examined Lymph nodes				p = 0.007	p = 0.009
0–11	895	355	(40%)
≥ 12	130	37	(28%)

Figure 3.  Lymph node ratio (number of metastatic lymph nodes/number of analyzed lymph nodes) in 527 patients with stage III colorectal cancer.

Figure 4.  (A) Overall survival in 46 patients with colon cancer stage III with 12 or more lymph nodes analyzed with respect to adjuvant treatment or surgery alone. (B) Overall survival in 320 patients with colon cancer stage III with one up to 11 lymph nodes analyzed with respect to adjuvant treatment or surgery alone.