The association between the preoperative serum levels of lipocalin-2 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and prognosis of breast cancer

Table 3 Multivariate–adjusted hazard ratios for disease-free survival of lipocalin-2 and MMP-9

		No. of total patients ( N =303)	No. of events ( N =87)	Adjusted HR^a (95% CI)	P
Lipocalin-2	continuous			1.06 (1.02-1.09)	0.001
(ng/ml)	t1	100	22	1.00 (reference)
	t2	102	35	1.96 (1.12-3.43)	0.018
	t3	101	30	1.93 (1.07-3.47)	0.028
	P _trend			1.36 (1.03-1.79)	0.029
MMP-9	continuous			1.02 (0.99-1.06)	0.136
(ng/ml)	t1	100	22	1.00 (reference)
	t2	102	34	1.95 (1.12-3.39)	0.018
	t3	101	31	1.70 (0.97-2.99)	0.065
	P _trend			1.28 (0.99-1.67)	0.063
Combined score^b	low	101	24	1.00 (reference)
	medium	100	28	1.55 (0.88-2.74)	0.130
	high	102	35	2.22 (1.29-3.84)	0.004
	P _trend			1.49 (1.14-1.95)	0.004

^a Adjusted for BMI (< 25 and ≥25 kg/m²), TNM stage (I, II, and III), ER status (positive and negative) and radiation therapy (yes and no).
^b The subjects were categorized into three groups based on the tertiles of combined score: low (1.092-3.463), medium (3.464-4.997) and high (4.998-14.276) score groups.

ISSN: 1471-2407