Table 3.

Clinico-pathologic and tumor biologic characteristics of the total study cohort (n = 288) and the subgroups as defined by anti-MUC1 IgG response. Correlations of IgG response and different parameters were evaluated by Fisher´s exact test or the Mann–Whitney U test as appropriate. Findings were regarded as significant at p < 0.05 (*). Patients with missing values in a parameter were excluded from the respective analysis

	All patients	IgG responder n = 61	IgG non-responder n = 227	P
Age (y, median)	57.3 IQR (48.2–64.6)	54.4 IQR (45.7–62.5)	57.7 IQR (48.5–65.4)	0.08
Tumor size 1/2	261	58 (95.1%)	203 (89.4%)	0.22
Tumor size 3/4	27	3 (4.9%)	24 (10.6%)
N +	107	21 (34.4%)	86 (37.9%)	0.66
N -	181	40 (65.6%)	141 (62.1%)
G 1	34	9 (14.8%)	25 (11.0%)	0.50
G 2/3	254	52 (85.2%)	202 (89.0%)
ER +	199	36 (60.0%)	163 (74.4%)	* 0.04
ER -	80	24 (40.0%)	56 (25.6%)
PR +	170	30 (50.0%)	140 (63.9%)	0.054
PR -	109	30 (50.0%)	79 (36.1%)
Her2 +	63	18 (30.5%)	45 (21.5%)	0.17
Her2 -	205	41 (69.5%)	164 (78.5%)
Ki-67 < 20%	137	26 (56.5%)	111 (59.4%)	0.74
Ki-67 ≥ 20%	96	20 (43.5%)	76 (40.6%)

Tumor size (cm): T1 ≤ 2cm; T2 ≤ 5cm; T3 > 5cm; T4 chest wall/skin infiltration or inflammation.

Lymph node involvement: N+/− with/without local lymph node involvement.

Grading/differentiation of tumor tissue: G1 well differentiated (low grading); G2 moderately d. (intermediate g.); G3 poorly d. (high g.).

Estrogen receptor expression: ER+/− with/without estrogen receptor expression.

Progesterone receptor expression: PR+/− with/without progesterone receptor expression.

Her2/neu expression: Her2+/− with/without Her2/neu overexpression.

Proliferation index Ki-67: low proliferation (< 20%), high proliferation (≥ 20%).