Table 2.

Hazards ratios (HR) for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in breast cancer patients by blood TGF-β levels

TGF-β-1 (ng/ml)	Total	No. death for OS/DFS	HR (95% CI) for OS/DFS
			Univariate	Multivariate
Among all patients
Q1 (0.130–4.764)	110	10/9	1.00/1.00 (reference)	1.00/1.00 (reference)
Q2 (4.764–7.468)	110	7/6	0.69(0.26–1.81)/0.66(0.24–1.86)	0.65(0.25–1.72)/0.60(0.21–1.76)
Q3 (7.468–11.082)	110	10/10	1.01(0.42–2.42)/1.11(0.45–2.74)	0.98(0.41–2.38)/1.07(0.43–2.65)
Q4 (11.082–37.99)	109	29/25	3.31(1.61–6.80)/3.14(1.46–6.72)	2.78(1.34–5.79)/2.49(1.15–5.41)
Among TNM-0,I,IIa patients
Q1 (0.130–4.764)	86	7/6	1.00/1.00 (reference)	1.00/1.00 (reference)
Q2 (4.764–7.468)	71	2/2	0.34(0.07–1.62)/0.39(0.08–1.92)	0.38(0.08–1.82)/0.45(0.09–2.22)
Q3 (7.468–11.082)	72	3/3	0.50(0.13–1.94)/0.58(0.15–2.32)	0.51(0.13–2.00)/0.58(0.14–2.34)
Q4 (11.082–37.99)	60	12/8	2.65(1.04–6.73)/2.02(0.70–5.83)	2.47(0.96–6.35)/1.79(0.61–5.25)
Among TNM-IIb,In,IV patients
Q1 (0.130–4.764)	22	3/3	1.00/1.00 (reference)	1.00/1.00 (reference)
Q2 (4.764–7.468)	37	5/4	0.99(0.24–4.16)/0.84(0.19–3.73)	1.01(0.24–4.23)/0.85(0.19–3.82)
Q3 (7.468–11.082)	36	6/6	1.27(0.32–5.08)/1.28(0.32–5.12)	1.55(0.38–6.29)/1.56(0.38–6.36)
Q4 (11.082–37.99)	43	15/15	3.03(0.88–10.46)/3.03(0.88–10.47)	3.16(0.91–10.9)/3.16(0.91–10.9)

Univariate and multivariate analysis (Adjusted for TNM staging, radiotherapy, and age at diagnosis, for all stages and for specified staging groups) are shown