Ratio of metastatic lymph nodes is more important for rectal cancer patients treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy

Figure 1 Recurrence-free survival. A: pN category in the no PCRT group; B: LNR category in the No PCRT group; C: ypN category in the PCRT group; D: LNR category in the PCRT group. LNR represents prognostic groups in both the No PCRT and the PCRT group. Current ypN status failed to show stratification with advancement of ypN status. PCRT: Preoperative chemoradiotherapy; LNR: Lymph node ratio.

Figure 2 Recurrence-free survival. A: TNM stage by the 7^th AJCC cancer staging system in the No PCRT group; B: R stage combined with pT/LNR in the No PCRT group; C: TNM stage in the PCRT group; D: R stage using yp T/LNR in the PCRT group. ypT/LNR combined groups showed significant categorization of prognostic groups. PCRT: Preoperative chemoradiotherapy; LNR: Lymph node ratio.