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Table 2 Detection rates of elevated markers at baseline

From: Assessment of circulating tumor cells and serum markers for progression-free survival prediction in metastatic breast cancer: a prospective observational study

Patient characteristics

N patients assessed

CA 15-3 > ULNV

CEA > ULNV

CYFRA 21-1 > ULNV

LDH > ULNV

ALP > ULNV

CTC ≥ 5

Menopausal status

 

NS

NS

P = 0.01

NS

NS

NS

Premenopausal

113

42%

44%

54%

44%

25%

45%

Postmenopausal

148

58%

56%

72%

45%

33%

43%

Receptor status

 

NS

P = 0.002

NS

NS

NS

NS

Horm. positive

159

68%

58%

65%

40%

33%

46%

HER2 positive

45

60%

51%

56%

49%

32%

34%

Triple negative

54

57%

27%

74%

53%

19%

46%

Tumor grade

 

NS

P = 0.05

NS

NS

P = 0.03

NS

1

26

77%

76%

64%

37%

52%

48%

2

106

64%

55%

62%

43%

28%

41%

3

123

63%

45%

68%

47%

25%

45%

Performance status

 

P = 0.003

P = 0.02

P < 10 -4

P < 10 -4

P = 0.001

P < 10 -4

0

123

55%

42%

51%

21%

18%

29%

1

97

69%

57%

70%

58%

34%

49%

2

22

82%

53%

79%

79%

52%

71%

3 or 4

13

92%

78%

100%

100%

54%

92%

Number of metastatic sites

 

P = 0.02

NS

P = 0.001

P < 10 -4

NS

P = 0.03

< 3

155

60%

52%

55%

37%

28%

39%

≥ 3

106

71%

51%

80%

56%

31%

48%

CA 15.3

 

-

P < 10 -4

P < 10 -4

P < 10 -4

P < 10 -4

P < 10 -4

≤ ULNV

88

-

24%

54%

25%

13%

26%

> ULNV

159

-

68%

72%

56%

40%

53%

CEA

 

-

-

P = 0.005

P = 0.009

P = 0.001

P = 0.03

≤ ULNV

103

-

-

56%

36%

18%

35%

> ULNV

109

-

-

75%

55%

38%

49%

CYFRA 21-1

 

-

-

-

P < 10 -4

NS

P < 10 -4

≤ ULNV

66

-

-

-

16%

23%

19%

> ULNV

125

-

-

-

63%

34%

56%

LDH

 

-

-

-

-

P = 0.02

P < 10 -4

≤ ULNV

121

-

-

-

-

22%

25%

> ULNV

99

-

-

-

-

36%

67%

ALP

 

-

-

-

-

-

P < 10 -4

≤ ULNV

170

-

-

-

-

-

36%

> ULNV

71

-

-

-

-

-

65%

All population

at baseline

 

64%

51%

65%

45%

29%

44%

All population

before cycle 2

 

66%

46%

34%

43%

28%

17%

All population

before cycle 3/4

 

64%

40%

27%

49%

22%

13%

  1. ULNV: upper limit of normal value. P-values were obtained by Pearson's Chi-square test. Horm. positive: either estrogen and/or progesterone receptor positive by immunohistochemistry on primary tumor. HER2 positive: HER2 overexpressed by immunohistochemistry or amplified by FISH in 2+ cases. Triple negative: estrogen, progesterone and HER2 negative primary tumor. NS, non significant. Significant associations (P ≤ 0.05) are in bold.
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Breast Cancer Research

ISSN: 1465-542X

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