Variables Group 1 (n=67)‡ Group 2 (n=137)‡ P value Age (yr) 67.6 ± 10.1 64.8 ± 12.6 0.465 Male gender 43.3% (29) 59.9% (82) 0.026 WBC count (×103/μl) 6.9 ± 2.4 7.7 ± 2.5 0.037 Hemoglobin (g/dl) 12.2 ± 2.4 12.3 ± 2.4 0.794 CEA (ng/ml) 90.2 ± 515.1 138.8 ± 675.9 0.607 Albumin (g/dl) 4.3 ± 2.2 3.9 ± 0.6 0.027 BUN (mg/dl) 13.3 ± 12.5 14.4 ± 13.2 0.557 Creatinine (mg/dl) 0.9 ± 0.9 1.1 ± 1.4 0.229 Total bilirubin (mmol/L) 0.7 ± 0.3 0.7 ± 0.3 0.339 Phosphate (mg/ml) 3.5 ± 0.4 3.5 ± 1.0 0.972 Alk-P (U/L) 71.6 ± 28.7 83.5 ± 72.1 0.214 AST (IU/L) 27.5 ± 13.5 28.8 ± 21.9 0.664 Lipocalin 2 (ng/ml) 75.34 ± 29.2 246.7 ± 130.8 <0.001 Stages of colorectal cancer     0.032   I 22.4% (15) 24.1% (33)     II 23.9% (16) 38.7% (53)     III 35.8% (24) 18.2% (25)     IV 17.9% (12) 19.0% (26)   Duration of follow-up (days) 455.9 ± 187.0 539.8 ± 201.3 0.005 Mortality of any cause 14.9% (10) 11.7% (16) 0.514 Mortality due to CRC 10.4% (7) 5.1% (7) 0.236 Occurrence of new metastasis 16.4% (9) 3.3% (4) 0.004 Primary combined endpoint* 25.4% (17) 13.1% (18) 0.029 Secondary combined endpoint† 22.4% (15) 7.3% (10) 0.002 Data are expressed as mean ± SD or % (n). Alk-P = Alkaline Phosphatase; AST = Aspartate Aminotransferase; BUN = Blood Urea Nitrogen; CEA = Carcinoembryonic Antigen; CRC = Colorectal Cancer; WBC = White Blood Cell. * Defined as any cause of death or occurrence of new metastasis during longterm follow-up. † Defined as death caused by CRC or metastasis during long-term follow-up. ‡ Group 1: defined as lower lipocalin 2 (<116.7 ng/ml) level; group 2: defined as higher lipocalin 2(≥116.7 ng/ml) level.

Table 2: Comparison of Baseline Characteristics, Laboratory Findings and Clinical Outcomes between Higher Lipocalin 2 and lower Lipocalin 2 Study Patients.