Lymph node ratio-based staging system for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Figure 1 Kaplan-Meier curves for overall survival according to different intervals of LNR. The P value for LNR0 vs LNR1: < 0.001, LNR1 vs LNR2: 0.021, LNR2 vs LNR3: 0.031. No significant survival differences were observed between LNR3 to LNR6 (P > 0.05).

Figure 2 Kaplan-Meier curves for overall survival according to American Joint Committee on Cancer N categories (A) and Nr categories (B). A: No significantly survival difference was observed for N2 vs N3 category (P = 0.159); B: The survival differences were significant in all subgroups analysis (P < 0.001).

Figure 3 Kaplan-Meier curves for overall survival according to American Joint Committee on Cancer N categories and Nr categories, stratified by the number of examined nodes (< 15 and ≥ 15). The survival differences were significant in the AJCC N categories (N0-N2, P < 0.05), except for N3 categories (P = 0.292). No significant difference was observed in the node ratio (Nr) categories (Nr1-N3).

Figure 4 Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The figure shows the time-dependent AUCs for Nr categories (A), and TNrM stage (B) were higher than those for AJCC N categories and TNM stage in the total patient cohorts, and in patients with adequate lymphadenectomy or inadequate lymphadenectomy.

Figure 5 Kaplan-Meier curves for overall survival according to the seventh American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM stage (A) and TNrM stage (B).