Table 2.

Distribution of predictive factors in relation to subgroups and in relation to treatment, with corresponding rates for pCR

	ddAT – Tamoxifen (n = 98)			ddAT + Tamoxifen (n = 98)
	n	%	pCR (%)	n	%	pCR (%)
Menopausal status:
Premenopausal	50	51.0	10.0	56	57.1	12.5
Peri-/postmenopausal	48	49.0	8.3	42	42.9	2.4
Tumour size:
≤ 4 cm	58	59.2	12.1	56	57.1	8.9
> 4 cm	40	40.8	5.0	42	42.9	7.1
Clinical nodal status:
Negative	52	53.1	15.4	46	46.9	13.0
Positive	46	46.9	2.2	52	53.1	3.9
Grade:
I/II	46	47.9	4.3	44	44.9	0
III	50	52.1	14.0	54	55.1	14.8
Clinical response after two cycles:
cPR/cCR	45	48.9	13.3	50	54.3	12.0
cNC/cPD	47	51.1	4.3	42	45.7	4.8
ER:
0 to 9%	40	40.8	17.5	46	46.9	17.4
10 to 100%	58	59.2	3.5	52	53.1	0
PgR:
0 to 9%	55	56.1	14.5	64	65.3	12.5
10 to 100%	43	43.9	2.3	34	34.7	0
Ki-67:
0 to 15%	42	42.9	2.4	33	33.7	6.1
16 to 30%	21	21.4	0	22	22.5	4.5
31 to 100%	35	35.7	22.9	43	43.9	11.6
HER2:
0 to 2+	73	76.0	9.6	75	76.5	10.7
3+	23	24.0	8.7	23	23.5	0
p53:
1 to 50%	47	48.0	6.4	44	44.9	4.5
0 + 51 to 100%	51	52.0	11.8	54	55.1	11.1
bcl-2:
0 to 1+	60	61.2	13.3	64	65.3	12.5
2 to 3+	38	38.8	2.6	34	34.7	0

cCR, clinical complete response; cNC, clinical no change; cPD, clinical progressive disease; cPR, clinical partial response; ddAT, dose-dense Adriblastin (Doxorubicin) and Taxotere (Docetaxel); ER, oestrogen receptor; HER2, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; pCR, pathological complete remission; PgR, progesterone receptor.