SPARC and metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes: In multivariable analysis, high SPARC expression (HR=1.73, 95% CI: 1.10-2.73, P=0.018), large tumor size (P=0.012), lymph node metastasis (P=0.002), vascular invasion (P=0.040), and chemotherapy without paclitaxel (PTX) (P=0.018) were independently predictive for DFS in all patients.