Table 1.
Characteristics of study population
| Clinical parameters | Breast cancer patients (n=307) | Healthy controls (n=396) |
|---|---|---|
| Age (median) in years k |
56 (22-91) |
45 (18-88) |
| Menopausal status |
n=287 |
|
|
Premenopausal |
88 (31%) |
|
|
Postmenopausal |
179 (62%) |
|
|
Perimenopausal |
20 (7%) |
|
|
Unknown |
20 |
|
| Tumor growth |
n=303 |
|
|
Invasive |
275 (91%) |
|
|
Non-invasive |
28 (9%) |
|
|
Unknown |
4 |
|
| Localization |
n=306 |
|
|
Right |
123 (40%) |
|
|
Left |
173 (57%) |
|
|
Bilateral |
10 (3%) |
|
|
Unknown |
1 |
|
| Type a, b |
n=255 |
|
|
Ductal |
189 (74%) |
|
|
Lobular |
34 (13%) |
|
|
Other types |
32 (13%) |
|
|
Unknown |
21 |
|
| Tumor size (T) a, b, c |
n=229 |
|
|
T1 (< 2 cm) |
142 (62%) |
|
|
T2 (>/= 2 cm – 5 cm) |
76 (33%) |
|
|
T3 (</= 5 cm) |
6 (3%) |
|
|
T4 (infiltration of the chest |
5 (2%) |
|
|
wall/skin) |
|
|
|
Unknown |
24 |
|
| Nodal status (N) b, c |
n=250 |
|
|
N+ |
75 (30%) |
|
|
N- |
175 (70%) |
|
|
Unknown |
36 |
|
| Distant metastases (M) |
n=292 |
|
|
M+ |
16 (5%) |
|
|
osseous |
10 (3%) |
|
|
M- |
276 (95%) |
|
|
Unknown |
15 |
|
| Tumor grading (G) |
n=245 |
|
|
G1 |
16 (6%) |
|
|
G2 |
161 (63%) |
|
|
G3 |
78 (31%) |
|
|
Unknown |
49 |
|
| Estrogen receptor (ER) d |
n=275 |
|
|
ER+ |
224 (81%) |
|
|
ER- |
51 (19%) |
|
|
Unknown |
32 |
|
| Progesterone receptor (PR) b, d |
n=274 |
|
|
PR+ |
193 (70%) |
|
|
PR- |
81 (30%) |
|
|
Unknown |
32 |
|
| Her-2 a, b, e |
n=208 |
|
|
Her2+ |
42 (20%) |
|
|
Her2- |
166 (80%) |
|
|
Unknown |
67 |
|
| Ki67 a, b, f |
n=187 |
|
|
Ki67+ |
84 (45%) |
|
|
Ki67- |
103 (55%) |
|
|
Unknown |
88 |
|
| CEA f |
n=107 |
|
|
CEA+ |
26 (24%) |
|
|
CEA- |
81 (76%) |
|
|
Unknown |
200 |
|
| CA15-3 h |
n=215 |
|
|
CA15-3+ |
81 (38%) |
|
|
CA15-3- |
134 (62%) |
|
|
Unknown |
92 |
|
| Body mass index (BMI) m |
n=219 |
|
|
BMI < 28 |
150 (68%) |
|
|
BMI >/= 28 |
69 (32%) |
|
|
Unknown |
88 |
|
| Subgroup a, i |
n=249 |
|
|
Triple negative |
22 (9%) |
|
|
Non triple negative |
227 (91%) |
|
|
Unknown |
30 |
|
| Subgroup a, j |
n=262 |
|
|
Risk group |
18 (7%) |
|
|
Non risk group |
244 (93%) |
|
| Unknown | 15 |
aOnly invasive tumors are included; bBilateral tumors are only included if both sides had the same result; cExclusion of cases with neoadjuvant chemotherapy; dImmunoreactive score: 0: negative, 1-12: positive; eHer2 = human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; immunoreactive score 0-2 (FISH negative): negative, 2 (FISH positive)-3: positive; fKi67 = marker for proliferation (< 13%: negative, >/= 13%: positive); gCEA = carcinoembryonic antigen (tumor marker, < 3 ng/ml: negative, >/= 3 ng/ml: positive); hCA15-3 = tumor marker (< 21 U/ml: negative, >/= 21 U/ml: positive); iTriple negative = ER, PR and Her2 negative; jRisk group: T >/= 2, G3, ER negative; FISH = fluorescence in situ hybridization; ksignificant difference (p< 0.001), age-adjusted statistical analysis performed; mBMI >/= 28 was defined as overweight in order to age-adjustment [https://www.uni-hohenheim.de/wwwin140/info/interaktives/bmi.htm].