Table 1 Patient and tumour characteristics of sample set I and II

Age

   Mean [range]

45.8

[33–55]

43.9

[26–55]

   < 40 years

10

(16%)

94

(25%)

   ≥ 40 years

53

(84%)

277

(75%)

Menopausal status

   Premenopausal

49

(78%)

317

(85%)

   Postmenopausal

11

(17%)

40

(11%)

   Unknown

3

(5%)

14

(4%)

Surgery

   Mastectomy

56

(89%)

291

(78%)

   Breast conserving

7

(11%)

80

(22%)

Treatment

   Conventional dose

27

(43%)

158

(43%)

   High dose

36

(57%)

213

(57%)

Tumour characteristics

Number of positive lymph nodes

   4 – 9

40

(63%)

241

(65%)

   ≥ 10

23

(37%)

130

(35%)

Tumour size

   T1 (< 2 cm)

9

(14%)

90

(24%)

   T2 (2 – 5 cm)

41

(65%)

225

(61%)

   T3 (= 5 cm)

13

(21%)

56

(15%)

Her2/Neu status

   Negative

42

(67%)

274

(74%)

   Positive

16

(25%)

81

(22%)

   Unknown

5

(8%)

16

(4%)

Oestrogen/Progesterone receptor status

   ER and PR negative

10

(16%)

101

(27%)

   ER and/or PR positive

50

(79%)

250

(68%)

   Unknown

3

(5%)

20

(5%)

Bloom-Richardson grade

   Grade I

13

(21%)

62

(17%)

   Grade II

26

(41%)

112

(30%)

   Grade III

20

(32%)

170

(46%)

   Unknown

4

(6%)

27

(7%)