Fig. 4.

The combined presence of a high d-dimer and circulating tumour cell positivity is associated with reduced survival in metastatic breast cancer. Survival in patients with CTC positive (≥ 1 CTCs/7.5 ml) and high d-dimer (≥ 895 ng/ml) (red line, n = 13) was compared to all other patients (blue line, n = 26). A log-rank (Mantel–Cox) test comparing survival in days from study entry in the shown CTC/coagulation marker groups was performed. Assumption of proportionality was verified based on Schoenfeld residuals; n number of MBC patients in each group, CTC circulating tumour cell