Table 1.
Baseline characteristics
| Index | PLD (n = 43) | Epirubicin (n = 86) | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 52.1 ± 8.6 | 50.4 ± 8.2 | 0.262 |
| ECOG score | 0.593 | ||
| 0 | 42 (97.7%) | 73 (96.5%) | |
| 1 | 1 (2.3%) | 3 (3.5%) | |
| Menstrual states | 0.108 | ||
| Premenopause | 12 (25.5%) | 35 (37.8%) | |
| Postmenopause | 31 (73.8%) | 51 (62.2%) | |
| ER status | 0.426 | ||
| Positive (≥1%) | 27 (62.8%) | 51 (59.3%) | |
| Negative (<1%) | 16 (37.2%) | 35 (40.7%) | |
| HER2 status | 0.414 | ||
| Positive | 13 (30.2%) | 23 (26.7%) | |
| Negative | 30 (69.8%) | 63 (73.3%) | |
| Ki67 | 0.426 | ||
| Low (≤14%) | 15 (34.9%) | 33 (38.4%) | |
| High (>14%) | 28 (65.1%) | 53 (61.6%) | |
| Molecular subtypes | 0.904 | ||
| Luminal A | 11 (25.6%) | 26 (30.2%) | |
| Luminal B | 15 (34.9%) | 25 (29.1%) | |
| HER2 enriched | 4 (9.3%) | 9 (10.5%) | |
| Triple negative | 13 (30.2%) | 26 (30.2%) | |
| Clinical T staging | 0.991 | ||
| 1 | 2 (4.7%) | 5 (5.8%) | |
| 2 | 32 (74.4%) | 64 (74.4%) | |
| 3 | 5 (11.6%) | 9 (10.5%) | |
| 4 | 4 (9.3%) | 8 (9.3%) | |
| Histology | 0.852 | ||
| Invasive ductal carcinoma | 40 (93.0%) | 80 (93.0%) | |
| Invasive lobular carcinoma | 1 (2.3%) | 1 (1.2%) | |
| Others | 2 (4.7%) | 5 (5.8%) | |
| Chemo cycles before surgery | 4.9 ± 2.3 | 4.7 ± 2.3 | 0.679 |
| Chemo regimen before surgery | Paired | ||
| With taxanes | 28 | 56 | |
| Without taxanes | 15 | 30 | |
| Clinical TNM staging | Paired | ||
| IIa | 16 | 32 | |
| IIb | 9 | 18 | |
| IIIa | 14 | 28 | |
| IIIb | 4 | 8 |
Abbreviations: ECOG, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; ER, estrogen-receptor; HER2, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; PLD, Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin.