Table 1 Characteristics of patients according to treatment group (matched cohort)

Age-median (IQR), year

56.0 (49.0–62.3)

57.5 (46.0–65.0)

0.760^b

Sex

 Male

51 (54.3%)

55 (58.5%)

0.556^a

 Female

43 (45.7%)

39 (41.5%)

WHO performance status-N (%)

0.665^a

 0

54 (57.4%)

49 (52.1%)

 1

39 (41.5%)

43 (45.7%)

 2

1 (1.1%)

2 (2.1%)

T stage-N (%)

0.883^a

 T2

8 (8.5%)

9 (9.6%)

 T3

71 (75.5%)

68 (72.3%)

 T4

15 (16.0%)

17 (18.1%)

N stage-N (%)

0.385^a

 N0

24 (25.5%)

19 (20.2%)

 N1/2

70 (74.5%)

75 (79.8%)

Distance from anal verge-median (IQR), cm

4.0 (3.0–5.0)

4.0 (3.0–5.0)

0.996^b

CEA-median (IQR), ng/ml

2.86 (1.71–4.77)

2.82 (1.61–4.74)

0.770^b

Radiation dose, median (IQR), Gy

50 (50–50)

50 (50–50)

0.686^b

Chemotherapy regimen-N (%)

0.875^a

 Capecitabine or fluorouracil only

29 (30.9%)

30 (31.9%)

 Capecitabine or fluorouracil plus oxaliplatin

65 (69.1%)

64 (68.1%)

Therapeutic patterns in the neoadjuvant setting-N (%)

 Concurrent chemoradiotherapy only

21 (22.3%)

26 (27.7%)

0.501^a

 Concurrent chemoradiotherapy plus induction and/or consolidation chemotherapy

73 (77.7%)

68 (72.3%)