Table 3 Analysis of the 5-year overall survival rates of patients using the 8th AJCC pN classification stratified into Limited (< 16 eLNs) and Adequate (≥ 16 eLNs) eLN cohorts
Nodal classification | Limited eLN cohort | Adequate eLN cohort | P value (Limited vs. Adequate eLN cohort) | Combined eLN cohort | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number [cases (%)] | 5-year OS (%) | Number [cases (%)] | 5-year OS (%) | Number [cases (%)] | 5-year OS (%) | ||
8th AJCC pN | |||||||
 N0 | 271 (34.1) | 76.4 | 382 (25.3) | 87.5 | < 0.001 | 653 (28.3) | 82.7 |
 N1 | 207 (26.1) | 57.1 | 227 (15.0) | 73.4 | < 0.001 | 434 (18.8) | 65.2 |
 N2 | 209 (26.3) | 36.3 | 282 (18.7) | 60.8 | < 0.001 | 491 (21.3) | 49.4 |
 N3a | 107 (13.5) | 19.2 | 382 (25.3) | 43.0 | < 0.001 | 489 (21.2) | 37.8 |
 N3b |  |  | 237 (15.7) | 24.8 |  | 237 (10.3) | 24.8 |
pN′ | |||||||
 N′0 |  |  | 382 (25.3) | 87.5 |  | 382 (16.6) | 87.5 |
 N′1 | 271 (34.1) | 76.4 | 227 (15.0) | 73.4 | 0.853 | 498 (21.6) | 75.1 |
 N′2 | 207 (26.1) | 57.1 | 282 (18.7) | 60.8 | 0.476 | 489 (21.2) | 59.1 |
 N′3a | 209 (26.3) | 36.3 | 382 (25.3) | 43.0 | 0.114 | 591 (25.7) | 40.4 |
 N′3b | 107 (13.5) | 19.2 | 237 (15.7) | 24.8 | 0.230 | 344 (14.9) | 23.1 |
8th AJCC pTNM | |||||||
 IB | 57 (7.2) | 91.6 | 105 (7.0) | 96.9 | 0.136 | 162 (7.0) | 94.8 |
 IIA | 81 (10.2) | 78.5 | 121 (8.0) | 90.4 | 0.169 | 202 (8.8) | 85.3 |
 IIB | 195 (24.6) | 72.4 | 281 (18.6) | 77.7 | 0.038 | 476 (20.7) | 75.5 |
 IIIA | 305 (38.4) | 42.9 | 369 (24.4) | 66.1 | < 0.001 | 674 (29.3) | 54.7 |
 IIIB | 137 (17.3) | 25.4 | 364 (24.1) | 43.9 | < 0.001 | 501 (21.7) | 38.8 |
 IIIC | 19 (2.4) | 8.4 | 270 (17.9) | 24.3 | 0.016 | 289 (12.5) | 23.2 |
pTN′M | |||||||
 IB′ |  |  | 105 (7.0) | 96.9 |  | 105 (4.6) | 96.9 |
 IIA′ | 57 (7.2) | 91.6 | 121 (8.0) | 90.4 | 0.677 | 178 (7.7) | 90.7 |
 IIB′ | 81 (10.2) | 78.5 | 281 (18.6) | 77.7 | 0.995 | 362 (15.7) | 77.8 |
 IIIA′ | 316 (39.8) | 63.1 | 369 (24.4) | 66.1 | 0.325 | 685 (29.7) | 64.6 |
 IIIB′ | 205 (25.8) | 39.3 | 364 (24.1) | 43.9 | 0.197 | 569 (24.7) | 42.2 |
 IIIC′ | 135 (17.0) | 18.8 | 270 (17.9) | 24.3 | 0.218 | 405 (17.6) | 22.4 |