Table 2 Associations between breast tumor markers and other tumor characteristics at diagnosis, Nurses’ Health Study II

 ER+

3.4 (1.5–9.6)

5.5 (2.4–10.9)

0.5 (0.1–1.7)

13.4 (9.9–16.7)

26.3 (13.6–43.9)

86.3 (74.1–90.6)

 ER−

3.5 (1.2–11.7)

8.2 (1.7–16.3)

0.3 (0.0–3.1)

12.9 (10.8–17.6)

25.2 (12.5–38.3)

73.1 (39.3–88.3)

P value³

0.78

0.36

0.79

0.75

0.66

0.001

 PR+

3.4 (1.5–9.0)

5.5 (2.3–10.9)

0.4 (0.1–1.7)

13.3 (9.9–16.7)

26.5 (13.9–43.9)

87.6 (76.1–91.1)

 PR−

3.5 (1.5–12.4)

5.9 (2.0–15.4)

0.4 (0.1–2.9)

13.3 (10.9–18.4)

24.3 (12.3–43.3)

72.3 (41.0–85.5)

P value³

0.35

0.50

0.81

0.29

0.51

< 0.001

 HER2+

5.0 (2.1–7.9)

6.2 (2.6–13.2)

0.6 (0.1–1.8)

13.5 (9.0–17.5)

16.0 (10.6–28.0)

85.4 (73.2–92.4)

 HER2−

3.0 (1.5–10.1)

7.0 (2.3–13.1)

0.4 (0.1–1.8)

13.3 (10.2–16.6)

29.9 (17.9–43.9)

84.1 (68.0–89.3)

P value³

0.55

0.94

0.88

0.94

0.05

0.44

 Grade I

3.3 (1.1–6.7)

4.8 (1.9–8.7)

0.6 (0.1–3.1)

12.5 (9.4–16.1)

28.2 (12.6–50.9)

88.6 (80.4–94.8)

 Grade II

2.4 (1.3–9.1)

5.7 (2.0–13.1)

0.4 (0.1–1.7)

13.3 (9.9–16.7)

25.4 (13.4–42.9)

84.6 (68.7–90.2)

 Grade III

3.0 (1.5–8.3)

7.6 (2.7–15.4)

0.2 (0.0–1.2)

13.4 (10.8–16.5)

29.9 (15.2–43.3)

80.1 (63.6–88.2)

P value³

0.90

0.19

0.14

0.50

0.80

0.003

 < 2 cm

3.6 (1.5–9.0)

6.6 (2.2–12.3)

0.4 (0.1–1.7)

13.3 (10.2–16.7)

29.2 (14.8–45.0)

84.5 (70.6–89.3)

 ≥ 2 cm

2.1 (1.0–5.5)

5.5 (1.7–10.9)

0.2 (0.1–1.0)

12.8 (10.4–16.5)

24.1 (12.0–43.3)

83.6 (69.3–91.1)

P value³

0.06

0.58

0.30

0.67

0.25

0.76

 No

4.4 (1.6–9.9)

6.8 (2.3–13.1)

0.7 (0.1–2.1)

13.3 (10.3–16.7)

30.0 (15.0–45.5)

85.4 (70.8–89.9)

 Yes

2.1 (1.0–7.2)

5.5 (2.2–10.8)

0.2 (0.1–2.0)

13.0 (10.1–16.7)

22.1 (12.0–38.6)

83.0 (64.7–90.0)

P value³

0.02

0.54

0.19

0.84

0.06

0.46