Table 1 Patients-, tumor- and sphincter characteristics of rectal cancer patients with T3N+ disease of the middle third

 Number of patients

16

16

 Median age

61

64

 Mean ECOG

1.4

1.3

 Sex (Male / female)

10 / 6

11 /5

 G1

1

0

 G2

11

12

 G3

4

4

 Mean shortest distance from anal verge (cm)

5.4

5.5

 Mean Tumor extension (cm)

4.6 (3–6)

4.9 (3–7)

 AS

38.4

35.6

 IAS

5.4

5.0

 EAS

8.6

9.8

 Levator Ani

26.1

26.8