Table 3 Patients and clinical characteristics associated with the timing of local 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 = 19)

(N = 21)

(N = 57)

Age

50≥

209 (19.9)

6 (31.6)

0.21

5 (23.8)

0.66

18 (31.6)

0.035*

50<

839 (80.1)

13 (68.4)

 

16 (76.2)

 

39 (68.4)

 

Menopausal state

Pre

209 (19.9)

6 (31.6)

0.21

5 (23.8)

0.66

18 (31.6)

0.035*

Post

838 (80)

13 (68.4)

 

16 (76.2)

 

39 (68.4)

 

Unknown

1 (0.1)

0

 

0

 

0

 

Tumor size (cm)

2≥

513 (49)

9 (47.4)

0.86

11 (52.4)

0.79

30 (52.6)

0.46

2<

524 (50)

10 (52.6)

 

10 (47.6)

 

25 (43.9)

 

Unknown

11 (1)

0

 

0

 

2 (3.5)

 

Lymphnode

Negative

636 (60.7)

14 (73.7)

0.25

13 (61.9)

0.91

29 (50.9)

0.14

Positive

412 (39.3)

5 (26.3)

 

8 (38.1)

 

28 (49.1)

 

Histopathology

Ductal

783 (74.7)

14 (73.7)

0.054

14 (66.7)

0.21

47 (82.5)

0.24

Lobular

77 (7.3)

4 (21.1)

 

3 (14.3)

 

2 (3.5)

 

Others/unknown

188 (17.9)

1 (5.3)

 

4 (19)

 

8 (14)

 

Tumor grade

1/2

542 (51.7)

10 (52.6)

0.92

12 (57.1)

0.28

28 (49.1)

0.99

3

466 (44.5)

9 (47.4)

 

6 (28.6)

 

24 (42.1)

 

unknown

40 (3.8)

0

 

3 (14.3)

 

5 (8.8)

 

Clinical Stage

I/II

723 (69)

14 (73.7)

0.71

16 (76.2)

0.81

43 (75.4)

0.55

III/IV

35 (3.3)

1 (5.3)

 

1 (4.8)

 

3 (5.3)

 

Unknown

290 (27.7)

4 (21.1)

 

4 (19)

 

11 (19.3)

 

ER

Negative

220 (21)

4 (21.1)

0.99

1 (4.8)

0.069

7 (12.3)

0.11

Positive

828 (79)

15 (78.9)

 

20 (95.2)

 

50 (87.7)

 

PgR

Negative

455 (43.4)

10 (52.6)

0.42

5 (23.8)

0.071

14 (24.6)

0.049*

Positive

592 (56.5)

9 (47.4)

 

16 (76.2)

 

43 (75.4)

 

Unknown

1 (0.1)

0

 

0

 

0

 

HER2

Negative

947 (90.4)

17 (89.5)

0.89

19 (90.5)

1

54 (94.7)

0.28

Positive

100 (9.5)

2 (10.5)

 

2 (9.5)

 

3 (5.3)

 

Unknown

1 (0.1)

0

 

0

 

0

 

Subtype

HR+ aHER2−

781 (74.5)

13 (68.4)

0.81

19 (90.5)

—

47 (82.5)

0.38

HER2+

100 (9.5)

2 (10.5)

 

2 (9.5)

 

3 (5.3)

 

TNb

166 (15.8)

4 (21.1)

 

0

 

7 (12.3)

 

Unknown

1 (0.1)

0

 

0

 

0

 

Molecular Characterization

Luminal A

419 (40)

11 (57.9)

—

13 (61.9)

—

27 (47.4)

0.3

Luminal B

224 (21.4)

4 (21.1)

 

2 (9.5)

 

14 (24.6)

 

HER2

96 (9.2)

0

 

2 (9.5)

 

5 (8.8)

 

Basal-like

104 (9.9)

3 (15.8)

 

0

 

1 (1.8)

 

Claudin-low

124 (11.8)

1 (5.3)

 

0

 

6 (10.5)

 

Normal

77 (7.3)

0

 

4 (19)

 

4 (7)

 

Unknown

4 (0.3)

0

 

0

 

0

 

Radiation therapy

No

418 (39.9)

10 (52.6)

0.26

11 (52.4)

0.25

14 (24.6)

0.021*

Yes

629 (60)

9 (47.4)

 

10 (47.6)

 

43 (75.4)

 

Unknown

1 (0.1)

0

 

0

 

0

 

Adjuvant Endocrine therapy

No

396 (37.8)

9 (47.4)

0.39

8 (38.1)

0.98

23 (40.4)

0.7

Yes

652 (62.2)

10 (52.6)

 

13 (61.9)

 

34 (59.6)

 

Adjuvant chemotherapy

No

872 (83.2)

18 (94.7)

0.18

17 (81)

0.78

46 (80.7)

0.61

Yes

175 (16.7)

1 (5.3)

 

4 (19)

 

11 (19.3)

 

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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