Table 1 Baseline characteristics

Age,mean(SD)

59(10.5)

60(10.9)

58(10.5)

59(9.7)

0.534

Gender,No(%)

0.041

Male

161(74.5)

60(67.4)

60(75.0)

41(87.2)

Female

55(25.5)

29(32.6)

20(25.0)

6(12.8)

Body mass index,median (IQR)

21.9(19.5–24.3)

21.7(19.1–24.1)

22.4(20.4–24.5)

21.4(19.3–24.5)

0.382*

ECOG PS,No(%)

0.772

0

128(59.3)

53(59.6)

49(61.3)

26(55.3)

1/2

88(40.7)

36(40.4)

31(38.7)

21(44.7)

CT cT stage,No(%)

0.619^#

T2

3(1.4)

2(2.2)

0(0)

1(2.1)

T3

45(20.8)

16(18.0)

18(22.5)

11(23.4)

T4

168(77.8)

71(79.8)

62(77.5)

35(74.5)

CT cN stage,No(%)

0.605

N0

37(17.1)

18(20.2)

12(15.0)

7(14.9)

Nx

179(82.9)

71(79.8)

68(85.0)

40(85.1)

CT cTNM stage,No(%)

0.639^#

I

2(0.9)

1(1.1)

0(0)

1(2.1)

II

38(17.6)

18(20.2)

12(15.0)

8(38.3)

III-IV

176(81.5)

70(78.7)

68(85.0)

38(80.9)

No.of Cycle NAC completed(IQR)

3(2–4)

3(2–4)

3(2–4)

3(2–4)

0.833

Grade 3 or 4 adverse effects^c, yes(%)

28(13.0)

12(13.5)

10(12.5)

6(12.8)

0.981

Resection range

0.04

Distal

68(31.5)

36(40.4)

22(27.5)

10(21.3)

Total

148(68.5)

53(59.6)

58(72.5)

37(78.7)

Multiorgan resection (yes)

25(11.8)

11(12.4)

8(10.0)

6(12.8)

0.855

Intraoperative blood loss,median (IQR), ml

50(30.0-100)

50(30.0–80.0)

50(31.3–100)

100(50.0-150)

0.020*

No. of lymph nodes dissected,mean(SD)

36.8(13.6)

36.4(13.6)

35.3(11.6)

39.9(16.1)

0.170*

No.of positive lymph nodes median (IQR)

2.0(0.0–7.0)

1.0(0.0–4.0)

3.0(0.0-7.8)

3.0(0.0–9.0)

0.097*

Tumor location

0.550

Upper

113(52.3)

42(47.2)

45(56.2)

26(55.3)

Middle

57(26.4)

24(27.0

19(23.8)

14(29.8)

Lower

46(21.3)

23(25.8)

16(20.0)

7(14.9)

Lymphovascular invasion(yes)

79(36.6)

28(31.5)

36(45.0)

17(36.2)

Neural infiltration(yes)

28(31.5)

34(38.2)

34(42.5)

28(31.5)

Tumor regression grade

0.898^#

0

10(4.6)

4(4.5)

5(6.2)

1(2.1)

1

33(15.3)

15(16.8)

12(15.0)

6(12.8)

2

62(28.7)

28(31.5)

21(26.3)

13(27.7)

3

111(51.3)

42(47.2)

42(52.5)

27(57.4)

ypT stage

0.795^#

ypT0

11(5.1)

5(5.6)

5(6.3)

1(2.1)

ypT1

14(6.5)

5(5.6)

4(5.0)

5(10.6)

ypT2

22(10.2)

10(11.2)

7(8.8)

5(10.6)

ypT3

106(49.1)

48(53.9)

38(47.5)

20(42.6)

ypT4a

55(25.4)

19(21.3)

23(28.7)

13(27.7)

ypT4b

8(3.7)

2(2.2)

3(3.7)

3(6.4)

ypN stage

0.198

ypN0

71(32.9)

30(33.7)

26(32.5)

15(31.9)

ypN1

39(18.0)

23(25.8)

11(13.7)

5(10.6)

ypN2

51(23.6)

19(21.4)

21(26.3)

11(23.4)

ypN3

55(25.5)

17(19.1)

22(27.5)

16(34.1)

ypTNM stage

0.615^#

T0Nx

2(0.9)

0(0)

1(1.3)

1(2.1)

I

34(15.8)

15(16.9)

12(15.0)

7(14.9)

II

69(31.9)

33(37.1)

24(30.0)

12(25.5)

III

111(51.4)

41(46.0)

43(53.7)

27(57.5)

Post-operative hospital stay (IQR), d

9.0(7.0–12.0)

9.0(7.0–11.0)

9.0(7.0–12.0)

10.0(8.0–13.0)

0.952

Time to first, d

Aerofluxus, mean (SD)

3.55(0.73)

3.42(0.77)

3.64(0.70)

3.64(0.71)

0.090

Walking activity,mean (SD)

2.59(1.80)

2.53(0.77)

2.78(2.82)

2.40(0.54)

0.277

Half-liquid die,mean (SD)

4.72(3.22)

4.67(4.17)

4.84(2.85)

4.60(1.06)

0.908

Pull out the drainage tube,mean (SD)

8.82(4.26)

8.99(5.59)

8.27(2.66)

9.43(3.418)

Postoperative blood transfusion (yes)

21(9.7)

12(13.5)

4(5.0)

5(10.6)

0.167^#

Clavien-Dindo classification

0.005^#

 Grade I

22(10.2)

6(6.7)

11(13.8)

5(10.6)

 Grade II

35(16.2)

16(18.0)

6(7.5)

13(27.7)

 Grade III

8(3.7)

0(0)

5(6.3)

3(6.4)

 Grade IV

3(1.4)

1(1.1)

1(1.3)

1(2.1)

 Grade V

0(0)

0(0)

0(0)

0(0)

No. of completedchemotherapy cycles, median (IQR)

3(2–4)

4(2–4)

3(2–3)

3(2–3)

0.174