Table I.

Clinical characteristics of the patients.

Patient no.	Age, years	Menopause	Symptoms and physical examination findings	Stage and molecular type
1	52	+	A mass in the right upper quadrant of the breast was occasionally noticed, starting 302 days previously.	pT1N0M0/luminal B
			PE: Mass in the right breast at 10 o'clock and 2.5 cm from the nipple, 1.8×1.5 cm, hard, with uneven surface, unclear edge, and dimple sign (+).
2	50	+	A mass was detected by mammography 33 days previously. PE: Mass in the upper left quadrant of the left breast, 1.5 cm in diameter, hard, with unclear edge.	pT1N1M0/luminal B
3	65	+	Two years previously, a mass was inadvertently discovered by touch, which gradually increased in size. The patient reported pain in the left breast, discomfort and itchy skin on the surface, with local ulceration 1 month previously. PE: Mass in the left breast at 3 o'clock, 4×3 cm, hard, with unclear boundary and unmovable.	ypT2N2M0/luminal A
4	50	+	A mass in the left breast was discovered by self-examination, with slight tenderness to touch. PE: Mass of medium texture in the left breast at 12 o'clock, 3 cm away from the areola, 1.5×1.5 cm, with unclear edge and dimple sign (+).	pT1N1M0/luminal B
5	51	+	A mass was occasionally felt, starting 35 days previously. PE: Mass in the upper outer quadrant of the left breast at 1–3 o'clock, 7×5 cm, hard, with unclear boundary and unmovable.	ypT4N2M0/luminal-HER2
6	60	+	One lesion was discovered by self-examination that was painful, but tolerable and without periodicity. PE: Two masses in the left breast at 3 o'clock, 2 and 3 cm away from the areola, respectively, 2×1.5 and 1×1 cm, respectively, moderate, with unclear boundary and movable.	pT1N1M0/luminal A
7	48	–	One lesion was discovered by self-examination 123 days previously, with tenderness, which became larger in the past 0.5 month. PE: Mass in the right breast at 2 o'clock, 4 cm outside the areola, 2×2 cm, hard, clear, with smooth surface and not easy to push.	pT1N0M0/luminal A
8	40	–	A left axillary mass was discovered by self-examination due to discomfort at the left axillary, starting 14 days previously. PE: Left axillary discomfort, mass in the left breast at 1–2 o'clock, 1×1 cm, hard, with unclear boundary, general activity, and a second left axillary mass, 2×1 cm, hard, with general activity.	pT1N3M0/luminal B
9	53	+	A mass was inadvertently felt by palpation in the left breast with local tenderness 32 days previously.	pT1N1M0/luminal-HER2
			PE: Local tenderness of a mass in the left breast at 6 o'clock, 1.5×1 cm, hard, with unclear boundary, poor activity and suspicious dimple sign.

PE, physical examination; HER2, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2.