Table 3.

Multivariate analysis of Cx43 expression compared with tumor stage, grade, size, and ER-status for breast cancer specifc survival and distant metastasis free survival

Breast cancer specific survival
Expression	Membrane expression				Cytoplasmic expression
	Hazard ratio	95% confidence interval			Hazard ratio	95% confidence interval
		Lower bound	Upper bound	P value		Lower bound	Upper bound	P value
Tumor stage	1.866	1.605	2.169	0.0001	1.854	1.595	2.155	0.0001
Tumor grade	1.639	1.367	1.964	0.0001	1.597	1.331	1.918	0.0001
Tumor size	1.339	1.076	1.666	0.009	1.330	1.069	1.654	0.011
ER-status	1.214	0.949	1.554	0.122	1.242	0.968	1.592	0.088
Cx43 expression	0.546	0.546	0.364	0.003	0.0664	0.664	0.502	0.004

Distant metastasis free survival
Expression	Membrane expression				Cytoplasmic expression
	Hazard ratio	95% confidence interval			Hazard ratio	95% confidence interval
		Lower bound	Upper bound	P value		Lower bound	Upper bound	P value
Tumor stage	1.943	1.682	2.253	0.0001	1.927	1.668	2.234	0.0001
Tumor grade	1.508	1.270	1.777	0.0001	1.469	1.235	1.734	0.0001
Tumor size	1.345	1.092	1.669	0.009	1.341	1.089	1.664	0.007
ER-status	1.231	0.958	1.570	0.122	1.260	1.254	0.978	0.069
Cx43 expression	0.638	0.449	0.909	0.003	0.684	0.528	0.528	0.005

Bold indicates P value for Cx43 expression as an independent predictor