Table 5 Association between NLR, clinical and pathology features and death due to colorectal cancer with death due to other causes as a competing risk and association with death due to other causes with death due to colorectal cancer as a competing risk

Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio

1.07 (1.003–1.13) 0.038

1.01 (0.92–1.12) 0.782

1.09 (1.02–1.17) 0.013

1.09 (1.03–1.15) 0.004

Male

0.74 (0.48–1.12) 0.154

--

1.91 (1.00–3.65) 0.051

2.32 (1.23–4.36) 0.009

Female

Age ≥ 75 years

1.77 (1.15–2.72) 0.009

--

5.72 (2.98–10.95) <0.001

2.10 (1.03–4.30) 0.042

Age < 75 years

Rectal tumor

0.89 (0.58–1.38) 0.602

--

1.05 (0.57–1.93) 0.870

--

Colonic tumor

Tumor diameter ≥ 5cm

1.09 (0.71–1.67) 0.696

--

1.32 (0.72–2.42) 0.365

--

< 5cm

Mucinous or signet ring

1.60 (0.90–2.84) 0.107

--

0.87 (0.30–2.49) 0.793

--

No

Direct spread beyond muscularis propria

2.52 (1.19–5.33) 0.015

--

1.21 (0.52–2.78) 0.661

--

No

Apical node involved

2.30 (1.23–4.27) 0.009

--

0.71 (0.22–2.30) 0.567

--

No

≥ 4 nodes involved

2.27 (1.49–3.46) <0.001

--

1.14 (0.60–2.17) 0.691

--

No

≥ 40% of nodes involved

3.18 (2.04–4.96) <0.001

2.91 (1.79–4.74) <0.001

0.93 (0.40–2.13) 0.863

No

Poorly differentiated

2.63 (1.68–4.11) <0.001

2.01 (1.24–3.26) 0.005

1.02 (0.48–2.15) 0.966

--

No

Venous invasion

1.59 (0.97–2.62) 0.066

--

0.95 (0.44–2.05) 0.895

--

No

Free serosal surface involved

2.76 (1.78–4.27) <0.001

--

1.07 (0.53–2.18) 0.846

--

No

Adjacent structure infiltrated

4.56 (2.51–8.26) <0.001

5.06 (2.72–9.43) <0.001

0.31 (0.04–2.39) 0.262

--

No

Postoperative chemotherapy

0.79 (0.51–1.21) 0.279

--

0.12 (0.05–0.26) <0.001

0.17 (0.07–0.39) <0.001

No