Table 4 Factors associated with chemotherapy in patients with very early breast cancera

From: Spectrum of very early breast cancer in a setting without organised screening

Characteristics

Chemotherapy (n =402)

No chemotherapy (n =727)

Univariable odds ratio for chemotherapy (95% CI)

Multivariable odds ratio for chemotherapy b (95% CI)

Age, in years, medianc

47 (41,54)

55 (48,64)

0.93 (0.92–0.95)d

0.91 (0.90–0.93)d

Race, n (%)

Chinese

285 (34.3)

545 (65.7)

1.00

—

Malay

71 (43.0)

94 (57.0)

1.44 (1.03–2.03)d

—

Indian

37 (33.6)

73 (66.4)

0.97 (0.64–1.48)

—

Others

9 (37.5)

15 (62.5)

1.15 (0.50–2.65)

—

Menopausal status, n (%)

Premenopausal

242 (47.9)

263 (52.1)

1.00

—

Postmenopausal

134 (23.8)

428 (76.2)

0.34 (0.26–0.44)d

—

Unknown

26

36

  

Year of diagnosis, n (%)

1993–1997

17 (25.0)

51 (75.0)

0.68 (0.38–1.21)

1.36 (0.55–3.39)

1998–2002

72 (34.0)

140 (66.0)

1.04 (0.74–1.48)

0.79 (0.44–1.45)

2003–2007

167 (40.9)

241 (59.1)

1.41 (1.06–1.86)d

1.82 (1.20–2.76)d

2008–2011

145 (33.0)

294 (67.0)

1.00

1.00

Unknown

1

1

  

Tumour size, in cm, medianc

1.5 (1.0,2.0)

1.4 (0.6,1.8)

1.63 (1.34–1.97)d

1.46 (1.10–1.95)d

Grade, n (%)

Well differentiated

18 (11.0)

145 (89.0)

0.05 (0.03–0.08)d

0.07 (0.03–0.14)d

Moderately differentiated

178 (37.6)

296 (62.4)

0.22 (0.15–0.31)d

0.30 (0.19–0.48)d

Poorly differentiated

166 (73.5)

60 (26.5)

1.00

1.00

Unknown

40

226

  

Lymphovascular invasion, n (%)

Present

150 (60.7)

97 (39.3)

3.90 (2.87–5.31)d

4.72 (3.08–7.22)d

Absent

183 (28.4)

462 (71.6)

1.00

1.00

Unknown

69

168

  

Oestrogen receptor status, n (%)

Positive

197 (26.3)

553 (73.7)

1.00

1.00

Negative

194 (61.0)

124 (39.0)

4.39 (3.33–5.80)d

2.65 (1.60–4.37)d

Unknown

11

50

  

Progesterone receptor status, n (%)

Positive

151 (26.3)

423 (73.7)

1.00

1.00

Negative

192 (55.3)

155 (44.7)

3.47 (2.62–4.60)d

1.73 (1.03–2.90)d

Unknown

59

149

  

HER2 status

Positive

113 (34.6)

138 (65.4)

1.55 (1.16–2.01)d

—

Negative

245 (45.0)

463 (55.0)

1.00

—

Unknown

44

126

  
  1. Abbreviations: CI=confidence interval; HER2=Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2.
  2. aIncluded 1129 stage I patients whose chemotherapy administration status were known.
  3. bUsing stepwise backward logistic regression. Variables entered on step 1 are those with P-values<0.20 in the Chi-square (categorical variable), or Mann–Whitney U (continuous variable) test: age at diagnosis, ethnicity, menopausal status, year of diagnosis, tumour size, grade, lymphovascular invasion, oestrogen receptor status, progesterone receptor status, and HER2 status. The P-values for marital status, parity, and family history were >0.20. Final model includes age at diagnosis, menopausal status, year of diagnosis, grade, lymphovascular invasion, oestrogen receptor status, and progesterone receptor status.
  4. c25th and 75th percentile values.
  5. dStatistically significant.
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