Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed stepwise including age, gender, primary tumor (colon or rectum), UICC (I/II or III/IV), depth of tumor invasion (T category 1/2 or 3/4), differentiation (1/2 or 3/4), lymph node metastasis (N category), Foxp3 (%), Treg (%), TGF-ß (%), and IL-10 (%). Here, IL10 is linked to metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.