Table 2.

Cox regression analysis of PFS in BC patients

Variables	Hazard ratio	95% CI	Pa
Age, years (> 50 vs. ≤ 50)	1.83	0.62–5.37	0.27
Tumor size, cm (> 5 vs. ≤ 5)	1.23	0.38–3.98	0.73
Grading (III vs. I–II)	1.32	0.46–3.77	0.61
Distant metastasis (yes vs. no)	3.93	1.31–11.77	0.014*
Clinical stage (III–IV vs. I–II)	2.28	0.64–8.22	0.21
tCTCs (P vs. N)b	3.69	1.03–13.28	0.046*
E-CTCs (P vs. N)	1.21	0.38–3.88	0.74
H-CTCs (P vs. N)	1.75	0.61–5.08	0.30
M-CTCs (P vs. N)	5.77	1.61–20.74	0.007**
GM+CTCs (P vs. N)	5.47	1.71–17.46	0.004**

^a* P < 0.05, **P < 0.01

^bP positive, N negative