title: Clinical characteristics and prognostic analysis of triple-negative breast cancer patients.
abstract: It is well-established that triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer, characterized by a poor prognosis and aggressive biological behavior. However, the available relevant data on TNBC in non-Western populations are limited. In order to analyze the clinicopathological and molecular biological characteristics and observe survival and prognostic factors, 972 breast cancer patients (156 of whom had TNBC) who received treatment at the First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University and the First Hospital of China Medical University, between January, 2004 and January, 2007 were retrospectively evaluated. In the univariate analysis, tumor size, TNM stage, axillary lymph node status and recurrence or metastasis were identified as prognostic factors for 7-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Our multivariate Cox's regression analysis demonstrated that tumor size and axillary lymph node status were significant prognostic factors for 7-year DFS and OS. Notably, tumor subgroup (TNBC vs. non-TNBC) was a significant prognostic factor associated with 7-year DFS and OS in breast cancer. It was suggested that TNBC exhibited a worse 7-year survival compared with that in non-TNBC patients, most likely due to its more aggressive behavior and insensitivity to specific therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Surgery, Research Unit of General Surgery, First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Caigang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ning
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Guohong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Shanzhi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61820, USA.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xinhan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
keywords: clinicopathological characteristics; prognostic analysis; survival analysis; triple-negative breast cancer