Disseminated tumor cells as selection marker and monitoring tool for secondary adjuvant treatment in early breast cancer. Descriptive results from an intervention study

Table 4 Analyses of clinico-pathological data and DTC-status after treatment ^a

Histopathology	All patients Number (%)^b		Persistent DTC after treatment Number (%)^c		Negative for DTC after treatment Number (%)^c		P value^d
Number:	n=72		n=15		n=57
pT-status:
pT1a +b	2	(2.8)	0	(0)	2	(100)
pT1c	29	(40.3)	6	(20.7)	23	(79.3)	0.80
≥pT2	41	(56.9)	9	(22.0)	32	(78.0)
Histology:
IDC	54	(76.1)	8	(14.8)	46	(85.2)
ILC	14	(19.7)	7	(50.0)	7	(50.0)	0.009^e
Others	3	(4.2)	0	(0)	3	(100)
Missing	1		0		1
ER-status:
Pos^f	54	(75.0)	13	(24.1)	41	(75.9)	0.33
Neg	18	(25.0)	2	(11.1)	16	(88.9)
PR-status:
Pos^f	46	(63.9)	8	(17.4)	38	(82.6)	0.38
Neg	26	(36.1)	7	(26.9)	19	(73.1)
BM1:
Pos	13	(18.1)	5	(38.5)	8	(61.5)	0.11
Neg	59	(81.9)	8	(14.5)	47	(85.5)
pN-status:
pN0	28	(39.4)	4	(14.3)	24	(85.7)	0.37
pN+	43	(60.6)	11	(25.6)	32	(74.4)
Missing	1		0		1
Histological grade:
Grade1-2	51	(71.8)	12	(23.5)	39	(76.5)	0.53
Grade3	20	(28.2)	3	(15.0)	17	(85.0)
Missing	1		0		1
HER2-status^g:
Pos	6	(15.8)	0	(0)	6	(100)	0.57
Neg	32	(84.2)	7	(21.9)	25	(78.1)
Missing	1				1

^aOnly patients with DTC results at BM3 and/or BM4 are included (see Figure 1).
^bValid percent.
^cThe percentages in relation to the clinico-pathological variables.
^dFisher exact.
^eComparison of infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) and infiltrating lobular carcinoma (ILC).
^fPatients with positive ER and/or PR-status received endocrine treatment.
^gPatients enrolled from June 2005 (n = 39). Patients with positive HER2-status received trastuzumab.

ISSN: 1471-2407