Table 4 Association between the percentage of surface receptors and cytotoxic granules positive NK cells and the clinicopathological features of gastric cancer

Histological grade

Well/Moderately

12

89.0 ± 3.0

< 0.01 ^T

45.1 ± 24.4

< 0.05 ^U

56.3 ± 28.7

ns ^U

88.5 ± 7.6

< 0.05 ^U

15.3 ± 5.9

ns ^U

Poorly

19

86.2 ± 2.5

31.2 ± 17.7

46.2 ± 30.1

76.5 ± 17.4

20.5 ± 14.3

Depth of invasion ^*

Tis/T1/T2/T3

10

87.8 ± 3.2

ns ^T

48.0 ± 24.3

< 0.05 ^T

54.2 ± 29.1

ns ^U

85.5 ± 10.0

ns ^U

21.4 ± 12.7

ns ^U

T4

21

87.0 ± 2.9

31.1 ± 17.8

48.1 ± 29.1

79.1 ± 17.3

17.2 ± 11.6

Lymph node metastasis

Absent

11

89.3 ± 2.8

< 0.01 ^T

48.2 ± 22.7

< 0.05 ^T

57.6 ± 29.3

ns ^U

88.5 ± 8.1

< 0.05 ^U

15.1 ± 5.7

ns ^U

Present

20

86.1 ± 2.5

30.1 ± 17.9

46.0 ± 29.5

77.1 ± 17.1

20.4 ± 14.0

Blood vessel invasion

Absent

17

88.3 ± 3.0

< 0.05 ^T

38.0 ± 23.8

ns ^T

49.0 ± 29.6

ns ^U

84.5 ± 12.0

ns ^U

18.3 ± 10.8

ns ^U

Present

14

85.9 ± 2.5

34.8 ± 18.4

51.4 ± 30.5

77.1 ± 18.5

18.8 ± 13.6