Table 2 Characteristics of the population of early-stage breast cancer patients including histopathological information (previously published by Kjær et al.25,33) and adjuvant treatment. Median and interquartile range (IQR) of preoperative EGFR and EGFR ligand serum levels (previously published by Kjær et al.25,33) and EGFR and EGFR ligand cutoffs determined using Youden’s method for estimation of optimal cutoff are presented along with the number of patients with levels above and below the Youden cutoffs.
From: Prognostic impact of serum levels of EGFR and EGFR ligands in early-stage breast cancer
Early-stage breast cancer patients, n (%) | ||
|---|---|---|
N | 311 | |
Age | ||
< 50 years | 65 (20.9%) | |
50–69 years | 197 (63.3%) | |
≥ 70 years | 49 (15.8%) | |
Type of surgery | ||
Lumpectomy | 243 (78.1%) | |
Mastectomy | 68 (21.9%) | |
Tumor typea | ||
Ductal | 276 (88.7%) | |
Lobular | 15 (4.8%) | |
Other | 20 (6.4%) | |
Tumor grade | ||
Grade I | 71 (22.8%) | |
Grade II | 141 (45.3%) | |
Grade III | 78 (25.1%) | |
Unknown | 21 (6.8%) | |
Tumor size | ||
T1 ≤ 20 mm | 175 (56.3%) | |
T2 > 20 ≤ 50 mm | 132 (42.4%) | |
T3 > 50 mm | 4 (1.3%) | |
Nodal status | ||
N0 0 nodes | 155 (49.8%) | |
N1 1–3 nodes | 111 (35.7%) | |
N2-3 ≥ 4 nodes | 45 (14.5%) | |
HR statusb | ||
ER- and PR-/unknown | 58 (18.6%) | |
ER + and/or PR + | 253 (81.4%) | |
ER status | ||
Negative (< 10%) | 58 (18.6%) | |
Positive (10–100%) | 253 (81.4%) | |
PR status | ||
Negative (< 10%) | 91 (29%) | |
Positive (10–100%) | 183 (59%) | |
Unknown | 37 (12%) | |
HER2 statusc | ||
Negative | 248 (79.7%) | |
Positive | 49 (15.8%) | |
Unknown | 14 (4.5%) | |
Triple negative | ||
Yes | 33 (11%) | |
No | 227 (73%) | |
Unknown | 51 (16%) | |
Adjuvant chemotherapyd | ||
No | 165 (53.1%) | |
EC and D | 77 (24.8%) | |
CEF or EC | 58 (18.6%) | |
DC | 9 (2.9%) | |
Other | 2 (0.6%) | |
Adjuvant HER2-targeted treatment | ||
No | 273 (87.8%) | |
Trastuzumab | 24 (7.7%) | |
Trastuzumab and TKI | 11 (3.5%) | |
TKI | 3 (1.0%) | |
Adjuvant endocrine treatment | ||
No | 91 (29.3%) | |
Tamoxifen | 51 (16.4%) | |
Tamoxifen and AI | 100 (32.2%) | |
AI | 69 (22.2%) | |
Adjuvant radiotherapy | ||
No | 42 (13.5%) | |
Yes | 269 (86.5%) | |
Preoperative biomarker level | Median (IQR) | Youden cutoff (n < cutoff, n ≥ cutoff, missing/outlier) |
|---|---|---|
S-EGFR, ng/mL | 68 (62, 78) | 60.3 (62, 249, 0) |
S-EGF, pg/mL | 490 (314, 768) | 296 (73, 238, 0) |
S-HBEGF, pg/mL | 30.1 (23.7, 39.3) | 21.4 (56, 253, 2) |
S-AREG, pg/mL | 2.6 (1.7, 5.2) | 5.3 (234, 70, 7) |
S-TGFα, pg/mL | 7.8 (4.8, 12) | 8.2 (164, 140, 7) |
S-BTC, pg/mL | 8.3 (4.3, 18.6) | 9.6 (165, 139, 7) |
