Table 2 Patients and clinical characteristics associated with timing of distant recurrence in the METABRIC cohort.

From: Late recurrence of breast cancer is associated with pro-cancerous immune microenvironment in the primary tumor

Variables

Number of Patients (%)

Survivors

Recurrence

Early

P-value (vs Survivors)

Mid

P-value (vs Survivors)

Late

P-value (vs Survivors)

(N = 1048)

(N = 170)

(N = 213)

(N = 199)

Age

50≥

209 (19.9)

45 (26.5)

0.051

60 (28.2)

0.0075*

40 (20.1)

0.99

50<

839 (80.1)

125 (73.5)

 

153 (71.8)

 

159 (79.9)

 

Menopausal state

Pre

209 (19.9)

45 (26.5)

0.053

60 (28.2)

0.0077*

40 (20.1)

0.96

Post

838 (80)

125 (73.5)

 

153 (71.8)

 

159 (79.9)

 

Unknown

1 (0.1)

0

 

0

 

0

 

Tumor size (cm)

2≥

513 (49)

49 (28.8)

<0.00001*

66 (31)

<0.00001*

86 (43.2)

0.12

2 <

524 (50)

119 (70)

 

146 (68.5)

 

112 (56.3)

 

Unknown

11 (1)

2 (1.2)

 

1 (0.5)

 

1 (0.5)

 

Lymphnode

Negative

636 (60.7)

52 (30.6)

<0.00001*

81 (38)

<0.00001*

89 (44.7)

0.000029*

Positive

412 (39.3)

118 (69.4)

 

132 (62)

 

110 (55.3)

 

Histopathology

Ductal

783 (74.7)

148 (87.1)

0.28

165 (77.5)

0.87

147 (73.9)

0.9

Lobular

77 (7.3)

10 (5.9)

 

17 (8)

 

15 (7.5)

 

Others/unknown

188 (17.9)

12 (7.1)

 

31 (14.6)

 

37 (18.6)

 

Tumor grade

1/2

542 (51.7)

44 (25.9)

<0.00001*

75 (35.2)

<0.00001*

112 (56.3)

0.24

3

466 (44.5)

122 (71.9)

 

132 (62)

 

80 (40.2)

 

unknown

40 (3.8)

4 (2.4)

 

6 (2.8)

 

7 (3.5)

 

Clinical Stage

I/II

723 (69)

86 (50.6)

<0.00001*

137 (64.3)

<0.00001*

140 (70.4)

0.096

III/IV

35 (3.3)

31 (18.2)

 

27 (12.7)

 

12 (6)

 

Unknown

290 (27.7)

53 (31.2)

 

49 (23)

 

47 (23.6)

 

ER

Negative

220 (21)

82 (48.2)

<0.00001*

65 (30.5)

0.0024*

19 (9.5)

0.00017*

Positive

828 (79)

88 (51.8)

 

148 (69.5)

 

180 (90.5)

 

PgR

Negative

455 (43.4)

126 (74.1)

<0.00001*

114 (53.5)

0.0071*

77 (38.7)

0.21

Positive

592 (56.5)

44 (25.9)

 

99 (46.5)

 

122 (61.3)

 

Unknown

1 (0.1)

0

 

0

 

0

 

HER2

Negative

947 (90.4)

133 (78.2)

<0.00001*

163 (76.5)

<0.00001*

181 (91)

0.82

Positive

100 (9.5)

37 (21.8)

 

50 (23.5)

 

18 (9)

 

Unknown

1 (0.1)

0

 

0

 

0

 

Subtype

HR+ aHER2−

781 (74.5)

80 (47.1)

<0.00001*

125 (58.7)

<0.00001*

168 (84.4)

0.0022*

HER2+

100 (9.5)

37 (21.8)

 

50 (23.5)

 

18 (9)

 

TNb

166 (15.8)

53 (31.2)

 

38 (17.8)

 

13 (6.5)

 

Unknown

1 (0.1)

0

 

0

 

0

 

Molecular Characterization

Luminal A

419 (40)

23 (13.5)

<0.00001*

45 (21.1)

<0.00001*

77 (38.7)

0.0017*

Luminal B

224 (21.4)

36 (21.2)

 

79 (37.1)

 

58 (29.1)

 

HER2

96 (9.2)

34 (20)

 

38 (17.8)

 

24 (12.1)

 

Basal-like

104 (9.9)

45 (26.5)

 

26 (12.2)

 

6 (3)

 

Claudin-low

124 (11.8)

20 (11.8)

 

11 (5.2)

 

16 (8)

 

Normal

77 (7.3)

11 (6.5)

 

13 (6.1)

 

17 (8.5)

 

Unknown

4 (0.3)

1 (0.6)

 

1 (0.5)

 

1 (0.5)

 

Radiation therapy

No

418 (39.9)

56 (32.9)

0.83

79 (37.1)

0.44

86 (43.2)

0.39

Yes

629 (60)

114 (67.1)

 

134 (62.9)

 

113 (56.8)

 

Unknown

1 (0.1)

0

 

0

 

0

 

Adjuvant Endocrine therapy

No

396 (37.8)

78 (45.9)

0.045*

90 (42.3)

0.22

57 (28.6)

0.014*

Yes

652 (62.2)

92 (54.1)

 

123 (57.7)

 

142 (71.4)

 

Adjuvant chemotherapy

No

872 (83.2)

95 (55.9)

<0.00001*

145 (68.1)

<0.00001*

164 (82.4)

0.76

Yes

175 (16.7)

75 (44.1)

 

68 (31.9)

 

35 (17.6)

 

Unknown

1 (0.1)

0

 

0

 

0

 
  1. Abbreviations: METABRIC, Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium; ER, estrogen receptor; PgR, progesterone receptor; HER2, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; HR, hormone receptor; TN, triple; NA, not available.
  2. aHR+: ER-positive and/or PgR-positive.
  3. bTN: HR-negative and HER2-negative.
  4. *Factor showing statistical significance. The chi-square test and Fisher’s extract test were used to assess baseline differences between binary variables. P < 0.05 is considered statistically significant.
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