Effects on quality of life, anti-cancer responses, breast conserving surgery and survival with neoadjuvant docetaxel: a randomised study of sequential weekly versus three-weekly docetaxel following neoadjuvant doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide in women with primary breast cancer

Table 1 Patient features and tumour characteristics

Characteristic	Weekly docetaxel (n = 41)		3-weekly docetaxel (n = 41)		P-value
	No.	(%)	No.	(%)
Age (years)					0.38
Mean	50.1		48.3
Range	27-68		32-70
Age at entry (years)					0.08
≤50	17	42	25	61
>50	24	58	16	39
Menopausal status					0.66
Premenopausal	22	54	24	58
Postmenopausal	19	46	17	42
Tumour size (cm) by caliper					0.41
Mean	4.1		4.3
Range	2.0-6.2		2.5-11.4
Tumour size (cm) by ultrasound					0.40
Mean	2.3		2.4
Range	0.9-4.6		1.0-4.7
Tumour stage					0.77
T1	1	2	0	0
T2	32	79	35	86
T3	7	17	5	12
T4	1	2	1	2
Tumour type					0.48
Invasive ductal	35	85	38	93
Invasive lobular	6	15	3	7
Tumour grade					0.21
1	5	12	1	2
2	16	39	15	37
3	20	49	25	61
Clinical staging					0.39
IIA	22	53	15	37
IIB	15	37	18	44
IIIA	2	5	3	7
IIIB	2	5	5	12
Oestrogen receptor status					0.24
Positive	31	76	25	61
Negative	10	24	15	37
Unknown	0	0	1	2
Progesterone receptor status					0.09
Positive	21	51	13	32
Negative	13	32	23	56
Unknown	7	17	5	12

ISSN: 1471-2407