Table 4.

Stepwise univariate and multivariate analyses using Cox’s regression method for disease-free survival in 109 patients

Variable	Univariate analysis			Multivariate analysisa)
	HR	95% CI	p-value	HR	95% CI	p-value
Age (≥ 45 yr vs. < 45 yr)	0.63	0.12-3.48	0.597	0.14	0.01-2.24	0.165
T stage (T1 vs. T2)	0.46	0.08-2.55	0.373	NI	-
No. of positive LNs (1 vs. 2, 3)	0.77	0.14-4.22	0.761	0.19	0.01-3.74	0.276
Histological grade (1, 2 vs. 3)	0.63	0.12-3.44	0.593	0.02	0.00-0.73	0.032
Estrogen receptor status (positive vs. negative)	0.16	0.03-0.86	0.033	0.04	0.00-0.60	0.02
Progesterone receptor status (positive vs. negative)	0.76	0.15-3.76	0.734	NI	-	-
HER2 overexpression (positive vs. negative)	1.19	0.22-6.51	0.844	NI	-	-
Post-mastectomy radiotherapy (yes vs. no)	0.39	0.05-3.41	0.396	0.06	0.00-2.58	0.141
18F-FDG-avidity in axillary nodes (avid vs. non-avid)	4.30	0.87-21.29	0.074	NI	-	-
SUVmax (as continuous)	1.43	1.15-1.78	0.001	1.77	1.19-2.62	0.004

HR, hazard ratio; CI, confidence interval; LN, lymph node; ¹⁸F-FDG, ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose; SUV_max, maximum standardized uptake value.

^a)Variables were entered into the multivariate regression model in a stepwise method if p < 0.20 and were removed at any point if p-value was > 0.20.