NOS2 and CD163 expression at the tumor invasive front in relation to molecular characteristics in CRC.

The following number of missing cases were present in analyses for NOS2 and CD163, respectively: MSI screening status, 13 and 15; CIMP status, 2 and 2, and combined MSI screening and CIMP status, 14 and 16. Fisher's exact test was used for categorical variables.†Cases lacking nuclear staining of tumor cells for at least one of MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, or PMS2 were considered to have a positive MSI screening status.§Phenotype determined according to hypermethylation of an eight-gene panel with the follwing number of hypermethylated genes found for CIMP-negative, 0 genes; CIMP-low, 1–5 genes, and CIMP-high, 6–8 genes. MSI, microsatellite instability; MSS, microsatellite stable; CIMP, CpG island methylator phenotype.