Fig. 2

BATMs and BTSMs and clinical outcome in BC. The quantity of BATMs significantly correlated to OS and DFS of BC patients: Median OS was 7.48 years in the BATM-high subgroup compared to not reached (NR) in the BATM-low subgroup (HR = 2.483, p = 0.000401, a). Median DFS was 5.35 years in the BATM-high subgroup compared to 9.53 years in the BATM-low subgroup (HR = 1.800, p = 0.032, c). The quantity of BTSMs significantly correlated to OS but not to DFS of BC patients: 75% OS was 6.49 years in the BTSM-high subgroup compared to 11.64 years in the BTSM-low subgroup (HR = 2.445, p = 0.021, b). There was no significant association of BTSM with DFS (HR = 1.285, p = 0.431, d). BTAMs, breast adipose tissue macrophages; BTSMs, breast tumor-stroma macrophages; OS, overall survival; DFS, disease-free survival; HR, hazard ratio