Table 3 Univariate and multivariate Cox analysis of disease-free survival (DFS) in 1178 D2-resected gastric cancer patients

CnLN metastasis (positive vs negative )

2.697 (2.290–3.176)

1.366 (1.138–1.640)

0.001

Age (≥ 60years vs < 60 years)

1.036 (0.882–1.217)

–

–

LN examined (≥ 15 vs <15)

1.246 (0.970–1.599)

–

–

Tumor size (> 4 cm vs ≤ 4cm)

1.592 (1.342–1.890)

0.991 (0.823–1.192)

0.922

Lymphatic vessel invasion (yes vs no)

2.295 (1.930–2.730)

1.402 (1.168–1.683)

< 0.001

Type of resection (total vs subtotal gastrectomy)

0.507 (0.419–0.613)

0.639 (0.511–0.799)

< 0.001

Location (ref. antrum/pylorus )

 Body/fundus

1.056 (0.801–1.393)

0.901 (0.668–1.215)

0.494

 GEJ/cardia

1.381 (1.082–1.762)

1.353 (1.052–1.740)

0.019

 Total

1.395 (1.151–1.692)

1.024 (0.819–1.279)

0.837

Histology type (un-differentiated vs differentiated )

1.499 (1.258–1.786)

1.206 (1.001–1.452)

0.048

Signet ring cell (yes vs no)

1.477 (1.170–1.865)

1.233 (0.962–1.580)

0.098

Pathological T stage (ref. T2)

 T3

2.647 (1.975–3.547)

1.979 (1.465–2.673)

< 0.001

 T4

3.914 (2.888–5.304)

2.218 (1.617–3.043)

< 0.001

Pathological N stage (ref. N0)

 N1

3.066 (2.207–4.259)

2.858 (2.047–3.990)

< 0.001

 N2

4.512 (3.320–6.132)

3.373 (2.451–4.640)

< 0.001

 N3

8.403 (6.296–11.214)

5.469 (3.967–7.541)

< 0.001

Adjuvant chemotherapy (yes vs no)

0.834 (0.696–0.999)

0.797 (0.663–0.959)

0.016