Table 2 Univariate and multivariate analysis of 138 CRC patients for RFS and OS (cohort 1)

Age, years (≥65 vs. <65)

1.043 (0.756–1.132)

0.215

NA

1.038 (0.694–1.367)

0.325

NA

Gender (male vs. female)

1.162 (0.964–1.376)

0.078

NA

1.132 (0.924–1.764)

0.086

NA

Tumor location (left colon vs. right colon vs. rectum)

1.055 (0.821–1.248)

0.133

NA

1.127 (0.885–1.526)

0.134

NA

Differentiation (poor vs. well/ moderate)

1.204 (0.964–1.483)

0.061

NA

1.267 (0.963–1.837)

0.065

NA

TNM stage (III/IVvs.I/II)

1.436 (1.078–2.032)

0.020

1.321 (1.054–2.421)

0.025

1.512 (1.093–2.162)

0.016

1.897 (1.094–3.528)

0.013

Depth of invasion (T3/T4 vs. T1/T2)

1.267 (1.032–1.628)

0.037

1.072 (0.967–1.468)

NS

1.284 (1.083–1.764)

0.028

1.173 (0.957–1.528)

NS

LN metastasis (N1N2 vs. N0)

1.452 (1.082–1.936)

0.019

1.281 (1.032–1.846)

0.035

1.301 (1.075–1.964)

0.033

1.513 (1.128–3.127)

0.013

Distant metastasis (M1 vs. M0)

1.852 (1.137–2.814)

0.008

1.536 (1.108–2.162)

0.021

1.564 (1.109–2.352)

0.012

1.305 (1.106–2.642)

0.018

CEA (≥5 ng/ml vs. <5 ng/ml)

1.164 (0.925–1.637)

0.092

NA

1.173 (0.867–1.467)

0.124

NA

Adjuvant therapy (NO vs. YES)

1.223 (0.985–1.921)

0.058

NA

1.252 (0.964–1.682)

0.072

NA

NAV2(high vs. low)

1.616 (1.094–3.205)

0.014

1.785 (1.108–2.528)

0.010

1.364 (1.058–2.245)

0.021

1.564 (1.108–2.376)

0.012

Tumor budding (high vs. low)

1.974 (1.206–4.267)

0.005

2.021 (1.156–3.126)

0.004

1.852 (1.271–6.324)

0.006

2.114 (1.247–4.826)

0.002

^aCombined NAV2 and Tumor budding

II vs.I

2.021 (1.316–5.416)

0.002

2.157 (1.206–5.824)

0.003

1.936 (1.314–5.735)

0.004

2.052 (1.126–3.843)

0.003

III vs.I

4.828 (1.862–9.072)

0.000

5.126 (1.935–9.675)

0.000

4.352 (2.134–8.846)

0.000

4.723(1.925–9.506)

0.000

III vs.II

2.384 (1.267–7.321)

0.001

2.324 (1.221–6.326)

0.000

2.153 (1.426–6.875)

0.001

2.231(1.286–6.251)

0.0005