Table 2. Biochemical and clinical characteristics used for the analysis.

	Number of patients	Median	Range
Nodal status
Negative	47
Positive	49
Size (cm)		2.2	0.1–10
⩽2	44
>2	50
Histology
Infiltrating ductal	69
Infiltrating lobular	15
Infiltrating ductal/lobular	6
Other infiltrating	6
ER status		34	0.6–742
Negative, <10 fmols mg−1	25
Positive, ⩾10 fmol mg−1	50
EGFR status		23	0–241
Negative, <20	33
Positive, ⩾20	40
Age
Patients		56	25–83
<50	30
⩾50	66
Controls	24	39	23–58