Table 4 Associations between circulating miRNA expression and clinicopathologic variables

Clinicopathologic

Age

Spearman correlation

R = -0.184

P = 0.113

R = -0.455

P < 0.001

R = -0.362

P = 0.001

R = -0.052

P = 0.657

ER^a

Mann-Whitney U test

T = -1.059

P = 0.295

T = 0.658

P = 0.516

T = 0.305

P = 0.763

T = 1.194

P = 0.244

PR^a

Mann-Whitney U test

T = -0.672

P = 0.504

T = -0.193

P = 0.848

T = -0.645

P = 0.521

T = 1.519

P = 0.136

HR^a

Mann-Whitney U test

T = -1.233

P = 0.225

T = 0.632

P = 0.534

T = 0.299

P = 0.767

T = 1.015

P = 0.321

ERBB2^a

Mann-Whitney U test

T = 0.051

P = 0.960

T = -1.237

P = 0.222

T = -1.594

P = 0.120

T = -0.841

P = 0.406

TNBC^a

Mann-Whitney U test

T = -0.399

P = 0.699

T = -0.310

P = 0.765

T = -0.365

P = 0.725

T = 0.281

P = 0.785

P53^a

Mann-Whitney U test

T = 0.256

P = 0.800

T = 1.041

P = 0.304

T = 1.617

P = 0.113

T = -0.953

P = 0.347

RECIST

Progressive disease^a

Mann-Whitney U test

T = -2.404

P = 0.019

T = -0.998

P = 0.322

T = -2.488

P = 0.016

T = -0.399

P = 0.691

Circulating markers

Number CTCs

Spearman correlation

R = 0.056

P = 0.635

R = -0.026

P = 0.826

R = 0.053

P = 0.655

R = -0.094

P = 0.424

ADNAGen^a

Mann-Whitney U test

T = -0.534

P = 0.596

T = 1.789

P = 0.078

T = 0.782

P = 0.437

T = -2.144

P = 0.041

Mammaglobin expression

Spearman correlation

R = 0.047

P = 0.697

R = 0.005

P = 0.969

R = 0.086

P = 0.474

R = -0.107

P = 0.374

Cytokeratin 19 expression

Spearman correlation

R = 0.191

P = 0.110

R = -0.099

P = 0.409

R = -0.010

P = 0.933

R = 0.004

P = 0.968

Plasma DNA concentration

Spearman correlation

R = 0.200

P = 0.085

R = -0.100

P = 0.392

R = -0.043

P = 0.712

R = 0.085

P = 0.467

Methylated markers

RASSF1A

Spearman correlation

R = -0.129

P = 0.271

R = -0.198

P = 0.089

R = -0.189

P = 0.104

R = 0.025

P = 0.829

APC

Spearman correlation

R = -0.144

P = 0.217

R = -0.134

P = 0.253

R = -0.114

P = 0.332

R = -0.010

P = 0.930

ESR1

Spearman correlation

R = 0.148

P = 0.205

R = 0.001

P = 0.997

R = 0.086

P = 0.461

R = 0.252

P = 0.029

Number methylated genes

Spearman correlation

R = 0.250

P = 0.031

R = -0.159

P = 0.172

R = -0.039

P = 0.740

R = 0.262

P = 0.023

Methylation status^a

Mann-Whitney U test

T = -1.583

P = 0.118

T = 1.456

P = 0.152

T = 0.538

P = 0.593

T = -1.270

P = 0.208