Usefulness of the Log Odds of Positive Lymph Nodes to Predict and Discriminate Prognosis in Gastric Carcinomas

Background The lymph node ratio (LNR) and log odds of positive lymph nodes (LODDS) have been proposed to minimize the stage migration phenomenon. The value of the LODDS and LNR staging systems to predict and discriminate prognosis was assessed and compared to the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) TNM classification (pN). Methods Three hundred and twenty-six patients with gastric carcinoma were retrospectively studied. Disease-specific survival rates were calculated for every pN, LNR, and LODDS category. Results Four LNR categories (0, 1–25, 26–75, and >76 %) and four LODDS categories (−5 to −3, > −3 to −1, > −1 to 3, and >3 to 5) were established. In the multivariate analysis, only the stage pT3-4 versus pT1-2 (HR 1.88, 95 % CI 1.11–3.20, p = 0.02) and LODDS as continuous variable (HR 1.40, 95 % CI 1.21–1.61, p