Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of breast cancer patients by plasma levels of C-reactive protein
| Tertiles of C-reactive protein (mg/L) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (<1.04) |
2nd (1.04 to 3.24) |
3rd (>3.24) |
P | |
| No. of patients | 975 | 966 | 969 | |
| Median age, years (IQR) | 59 (48 to 68) | 64 (55 to 73) | 65 (56 to 74) | <0.001 |
| Tumour size, No. (%) | ||||
| ≤20 mm | 587 (60) | 487 (50) | 427 (44) | |
| 20 to 50 mm | 297 (30) | 377 (39) | 384 (40) | |
| >50 mm | 25 (3) | 31 (3) | 47 (5) | <0.001 |
| Unknown | 66 (7) | 71 (7) | 111 (11) | |
| Lymph node status, No. (%) | ||||
| Lymph node negative | 459 (47) | 453 (47) | 442 (44) | |
| Lymph node positive | 451 (46) | 443 (46) | 441 (46) | 0.74 |
| Unknown | 65 (7) | 70 (7) | 106 (11) | |
| Distant metastases, No. (%) | ||||
| No | 942 (97) | 929 (96) | 909 (94) | |
| Yes | 6 (1) | 7 (1) | 27 (3) | <0.001 |
| Unknown | 27 (3) | 30 (3) | 33 (3) | |
| Tumour grade, No. (%) | ||||
| Well differentiated | 248 (25) | 243 (25) | 194 (20) | |
| Moderately differentiated | 431 (44) | 392 (41) | 439 (45) | |
| Poorly/un-differentiated | 158 (16) | 193 (20) | 154 (16) | 0.006 |
| Unknown | 138 (14) | 138 (14) | 182 (19) | |
| Estrogen receptor status, No. (%) | ||||
| Positive | 766 (79) | 744 (77) | 723 (75) | |
| Negative | 146 (15) | 150 (16) | 140 (14) | 0.90 |
| Unknown | 63 (6) | 72 (7) | 106 (11) | |
| Progesterone receptor status, No. (%) | ||||
| Positive | 492 (50) | 451 (47) | 440 (45) | |
| Negative | 243 (25) | 286 (30) | 258 (27) | 0.07 |
| Unknown | 240 (25) | 229 (24) | 271 (28) | |
| HER2 status, No. (%) | ||||
| Positive | 279 (29) | 260 (27) | 268 (28) | |
| Negative | 82 (8) | 68 (7) | 70 (7) | 0.76 |
| Unknown | 614 (63) | 638 (66) | 631 (65) | |
| Cigarettes smoked per day, No. (%) | ||||
| <10 | 689 (71) | 624 (65) | 531 (55) | |
| 10 to 20 | 91 (9) | 110 (11) | 141 (15) | |
| ≥20 | 61 (6) | 80 (8) | 110 (11) | <0.001 |
| Unknown | 134 (14) | 152 (16) | 187 (19) | |
| Alcohol consumption in grams per week*, No. (%) | ||||
| ≤168 | 786 (81) | 743 (77) | 702 (72) | |
| >168 | 66 (7) | 82 (8) | 86 (9) | 0.08 |
| Unknown | 123 (13) | 141 (15) | 181 (19) | |
| Body mass index in kg/m2†, No. (%) | ||||
| <18.5 | 46 (5) | 16 (2) | 15 (2) | |
| 18.5 to 24.9 | 554 (57) | 367 (38) | 255 (26) | |
| 25 to 29.9 | 133 (14) | 241 (25) | 242 (25) | |
| ≥30 | 18 (2) | 75 (8) | 138 (14) | <0.001 |
| Unknown | 224 (23) | 267 (28) | 319 (33) | |
| Menopause status, No (%) | ||||
| Post menopause | 640 (66) | 795 (82) | 825 (85) | |
| Pre menopause | 325 (33) | 159 (16) | 130 (13) | <0.001 |
| Unknown | 10 (1) | 12 (1) | 14 (1) | |
| Cardiovascular disease, No (%) | ||||
| No | 910 (93) | 869 (90) | 847 (87) | |
| Yes | 38 (4) | 60 (6) | 78 (8) | <0.001 |
| Unknown | 27 (3) | 37 (4) | 44 (5) | |
Blood samples were drawn and CRP measured at time of diagnosis of breast cancer.
P-values were calculated using χ2 tests for categorical variables and Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance tests for continuous variables. For the evaluation of P-values, patients with unknown values were excluded.
IQR = interquartile range.
*Cut-off values are based on the recommendation from of the Danish National Board of Health.
† Body mass index was calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared.