Table 1.
Plasma midkine levels according to clinical parameters in patients with primary breast cancer
| Clinical parameters | No. of patients | Mean midkine levels (pg/mL) Median (25th,75th percentile) | P‐values | Positive rate (750 pg/mL) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Menopause | Pre‐ | 28 | 558 (472, 726) | 0.0497 | 17.9% |
| Post‐ | 83 | 688 (555, 860) | 39.8% | ||
| Tumor size (mm) | ≤20 | 64 | 690 (555, 854) | n.s. | 40.6% |
| >20 | 47 | 597 (500, 763) | 25.5% | ||
| Nodal status | – | 70 | 603 (521, 812) | n.s. | 30.0% |
| + | 41 | 697 (528, 861) | 41.5% | ||
| Stage | I | 44 | 652 (531, 816) | 34.1% | |
| II | 55 | 604 (500, 831) | n.s. | 29.1% | |
| III | 12 | 743 (545, 849) | 58.3% | ||
| Nuclear grade | 1 | 65 | 601 (491, 783) | 29.6% | |
| 2 | 26 | 636 (534, 766) | 0.0343 | 26.9% | |
| 3 | 20 | 835 (581, 1006) | 60.0% | ||
| Lymphatic invasion | – | 80 | 640 (518, 794) | n.s. | 31.3% |
| + | 31 | 645 (528, 844) | 41.9% | ||
| Vessel invasion | – | 102 | 646 (523, 824) | n.s. | 34.3% |
| + | 9 | 605 (520, 866) | 33.3% | ||
| ER | – | 24 | 668 (563, 849) | n.s. | 41.6% |
| + | 87 | 608 (511, 824) | 32.2% | ||
| PgR | – | 47 | 658 (544, 835) | n.s. | 38.3% |
| + | 64 | 606 (493, 825) | 31.3% | ||
| HER2 | – | 95 | 625 (519, 826) | n.s. | 33.7% |
| + | 16 | 652 (563, 836) | 38.3% | ||
ER, estrogen receptor; HER2, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; n.s., not significant; PgR, progesterone receptor.