Table 1.
Breast cancer (BC) features of the 154 selected patients; presence of distant metastasis, occurrence of second breast cancers and timing of blood withdrawal with respect to systemic chemotherapy are also reported; n.a., information not available.
| Breast Cancer Histotype | Ductal | Lobular | Mixed | Other | n.a. | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of cases | 129 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 154 | |
| Median Age at diagnosis (range) | 32 (19–44) | 30; 35 | 30 (24–35) | 34.5 (26–38) | 34 (31–40) | 33 (19–44) | |
| Grade | I | 10 (7.7%) | - | - | - | - | 10 (6.5%) |
| II | 38 (29.5%) | 2 (100%) | 3 (75%) | 2 (25%) | 2 (18.2%) | 47 (30.5%) | |
| III | 68 (52.7%) | - | 1 (25%) | 5 (62.5%) | 6 (54.5%) | 80 (51.9%) | |
| n.a. | 13 (10.1%) | - | - | 1 (12.5%) | 3 (27.3%) | 17 (11.0%) | |
| Tumor size (pT) | Is | 4 (3.1%) | - | - | - | - | 4 (2.6%) |
| 1 | 67 (51.9%) | - | - | 3 (37.5%) | - | 70 (45.5%) | |
| 2 | 30 (23.3%) | 1 (50%) | 3 (75%) | 4 (50%) | 3 (27.3%) | 41 (26.6%) | |
| 3 | 3 (2.3%) | - | - | - | - | 3 (1.9%) | |
| 4 | 2 (1.6%) | 1 (50%) | - | - | - | 3 (1.9%) | |
| n.a. | 23 (17.8%) | - | 1 (25%) | 1 (12.5%) | 8 (72.7%) | 33 (21.4%) | |
| Lymph Node Metastasis (pN) | + | 57 (44.2%) | - | 3 (75%) | 3 (37.5%) | 6 (54.5%) | 69 (44.8%) |
| − | 63 (48.8) | 2 (100%) | 1 (25%) | 5 (62.5%) | 2 (18.2%) | 73 (47.4%) | |
| n.a. | 9 (7%) | - | - | - | 3 (27.3%) | 12 (7.8%) | |
| Distant Metastasis (M) | + | 8 (6.2%) | - | 1 (25%) | 2 (25%) | 1 (9.1) | 12 (7.8%) |
| − | 121 (93.8%) | 2 (100%) | 3 (75%) | 6 (75%) | 10 (90.9%) | 142 (92.2%) | |
| Estrogen Receptor (ER staining) | + | 80 (62%) | 1 (50%) | 4 (100%) | 5 (62.5%) | 5 (45.4%) | 95 (61.7%) |
| − | 45 (34.9%) | 1(50%) | - | 3 (37.5%) | 4 (36.4%) | 53 (34.4%) | |
| n.a. | 4 (3.1%) | - | - | - | 2 (18.2%) | 6 (3.9%) | |
| Progesterone Receptor (PgR staining) | + | 57 (44.2%) | 2 (100%) | 4 (100%) | 4 (50%) | 5 (45.4%) | 72 (46.8%) |
| − | 65 (50.4%) | - | - | 4 (50%) | 4 (36.4%) | 73 (47.4%) | |
| n.a. | 7 (5.4%) | - | - | - | 2 (18.2%) | 9 (5.8%) | |
| HER2 staining | + | 45 (34.9%) | 1 (50%) | - | - | 1 (9.1%) | 47 (30.5%) |
| − | 56 (43.4%) | - | 1 (25%) | 6 (75%) | 7 (63.6%) | 70 (45.5%) | |
| n.a. | 28 (21.7%) | 1 (50%) | 3 (75%) | 2 (25%) | 3 (27.3%) | 37 (24.0%) | |
| Triple Negative Phenotype | 25 (19.4%) | - | - | 3 (37.5%) | 3 (27.3%) | 31 (20.1%) | |
| 2nd Breast Cancer | 17 (13.2%) | 1 (50%) | 2 (50%) | - | 1 (9.1%) | 21 (13.6%) | |
| 2nd Breast Cancer Median age (range) | 42 (29–68) | 38 | 50;33 | - | 38 | 42 (29–68) | |
| Blood withdrawal (before/after chemotherap) | before CT | 37 (28.7%) | - | - | 1 (12.5%) | - | 38 (24.7%) |
| after CT | 92 (71.3%) | 2 (100%) | 4 (100%) | 7 (87.5%) | 11 (100%) | 116 (75.3%) | |