Table 1 Demographic characteristics of the investigated patient sample

Age (y)

64.2 ± 11

65.8 ± 11

0.66

Gender (male, n, %)

37 (65.5)

22 (62.8)

0.28

 Adenocarcinoma

30

18

0.84

 Squamous cell carcinoma

11

13

0.07

 Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma

6

3

0.95

 Small cell carcinoma

1

1

 Typical carcinoid

4

0

 Atypical carcinoid

2

0

 Solid carcinoma, NOS

2

0

 0

4

0

0.11

 1

16

2

0.008

 2

18

12

0.83

 3

15

22

0.007

 4

1

1

0.98

 0

1

0

0.43

 1

36

12

0.006

 2

12

10

0.44

 3

6

10

0.03

 4

1

3

0.13

 0

53

28

0.03

 1a

1

2

0.31

 1b

2

5

0.06

 IA

37

0

< 0.001

 IB

7

0

0.03

 IIA

3

10

0.002

 IIB

3

5

0.954

 IIIA

1

13

< 0.001

 IIIB

0

2

0.072

 IVA

1

2

0.31

 IVB

2

5

0.063

Size of investigated lymph node (short axis diameter in mm)

7.6 ± 1.9

13.2 ± 5.0

< 0.001