Table 5 Lymph node metastasis (LNM) and recurrence of pT1b ESCC patients with VI^a /LI^b in different locations (intratumoral or peritumoral region)

E-VI^c + 

109

35 (32.1)

53 (48.6)

Intratumoral region alone

47

14 (29.8)

0.129

22 (46.8)

0.538

Peritumoral region alone

22

11 (50.0)

13 (59.1)

Both of two

40

10 (25.0)

18 (45.0)

CD31-VI^d + 

40

15 (37.5)

20 (50.0)

Intratumoral region alone

8

4 (50.0)

0.357

5 (62.5)

0.311

Peritumoral region alone

22

9 (40.9)

12 (54.5)

Both of two

10

2 (20.0)

3 (30.0)

D2-40-LI^e + 

78

27 (34.6)

38 (48.7)

Intratumoral region alone

11

1 (9.10)

0.081

9 (81.8)

0.116

Peritumoral region alone

45

16 (35.6)

19 (42.2)

Both of two

22

10 (45.5)

10 (45.5)