Table 4. Cox's univariate (HR) and multivariate (RR) analysis of the significant relationships between MMPs, TIMPs expression or CD68/(CD3+CD20) ratio at the tumor center or at the invasive front, and relapse-free survival.

Tumor location	Factor	No. of patients	Event frequency	HR (95% CI)	RR (95% CI)
TUMOR CENTER	TIMP2
	Score < median vs. >median	51/51	9/34	4.62 (2.21–9.65)****	3.23 (1.51–6.92)***
	MIC (−) vs. (+)	72/30	20/23	3.77 (2.06–6.89)****	4.37 (2.31–8.25)****
	MMP11
	MIC (−) vs. (+)	76/26	18/25	9.19 (4.73–17.85)****	8.80 (4.40–17.61)****
INVASIVE FRONT	MMP9
	Score < median vs. >median	50/49	16/25	2.03 (1.08–3.80)*	2.22 (1.15–4.29)*
	MMP14
	MIC (−) vs. (+)	74/24	24/17	3.38 (1.81–6.31)****	3.41 (1.75–6.63)****
	TIMP2
	MIC (−) vs. (+)	49/50	15/26	1.89 (1.01–3.58)*	2.51 (1.28–4.92)**
	CD68/(CD3+CD20) Ratio	51/50	13/29	2.68 (1.39–5.17)***	2.54 (1.23–5.24)**

Abbreviations: MIC: mononuclear inflammatory cells; HR: hazard ratio; RR: relative risk; CI: confidence interval.

^*p<0.05;

^**p<0.01;

^***p<0.005;

^****p<0.001.