Table 3 Univariate analysis and logistic regression analysis correlations between the number of harvested lymph nodes (≧12 LNs examined in the high-harvest group or < 12 LNs examined in the low-harvest group) and other variables among 370 stage I-III rectal cancer patients

Gender

 Male/Female

103 (63.2)/60 (36.8)

134 (64.7)/73 (35.3)

0.759

- -

Age (y/o)

 ≧65/<65

120 (60.9)/77 (39.1)

295 (49.2)/305 (50.8)

0.285

- -

Tumor size (cm)

  < 5/≧5

129 (79.1)/34 (20.9)

137 (66.2)/70 (33.8)

0.006

1.855 (1.127–3.053) 0.015

Depth of invasion

 T1 + T2/T3 + T4

81 (41.2)/116 (58.8)

134 (22.4)/466 (77.6)

0.189

0.945 (0.588–1.521) 0.817

TNM stage

 I + II/III

114 (69.9)/49 (30.1)

121 (58.4)/86 (41.6)

0.023

1.499 (0.925–2.431) 0.101

Tumor histology

 M + S/A^c

8 (4.9)/155 (95.1)

10 (4.8)/197 (95.2)

0.973

- -

Tumor grade

 WD + MD/PD^d

153 (93.8)/10 (6.2)

193 (93.2)/14 (6.8)

0.808

- -

Vascular invasion

 Yes/No

31 (19.1)/132 (80.9)

53 (25.6)/154 (74.4)

0.133

1.210 (0.702–2.087) 0.492

Perineural invasion

 Yes/No

45 (27.7)/118 (72.3)

63 (3054)/144 (69.5)

0.553

- -

Type of surgery

 Laparoscopic/Open

28 (17.2)/135 (82.8)

33 (15.9)/174 (84.1)

0.750

- -

Preoperative CEA^e (ng/ml)

 ≧5/<5

54 (33.2)/109 (66.8)

72 (34.8)/135 (65.2)

0.739

- -