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Table 1 Comparison of breast cancer risk factors and breast tumour characteristics according to those who were eligible for the study, those for whom we received pathology specimens and those who were included in the tissue microarrays, Nurses' Health Study (1976 to 1996)

From: Comparison of molecular phenotypes of ductal carcinoma in situand invasive breast cancer

 

Eligible for TMA (n = 5610)

Received pathology specimens (n = 3752)

Included in TMA (n = 2897)

Means

   

Age at diagnosis, y

56.4

57.4

57.5

Age at menarche, y

12.4

12.4

12.4

Age at first birth, y

25.4

25.4

25.3

Age at menopause, y

46.9

47.1

47.1

BMI at age 18, kg/m2

21.0

21.0

21.0

Parity

3.2

3.2

3.2

Alcohol g/week

6.6

6.1

6.2

Frequencies, n (%)

   

Family history of BC

805 (14.4)

559 (14.9)

409 (14.1)

Nulliparous

430 (7.7)

281 (7.5)

211 (7.3)

Premenopausal

1345 (24.0)

782 (20.8)

600 (20.7)

Prior BBD

2662 (47.5)

1852(49.4)

1360 (47.0)

Current PMH user

1239 (33.8)

884 (34.2)

688 (34.6)

Year of diagnosis

   

1976 to 1980

517 (9.4)

223 (6.1)

158 (5.6)

1980 to 1985

1066 (19.4)

565 (15.4)

431 (15.2)

1985 to 1990

1678 (30.6)

1152 (31.3)

899 (31.6)

1990 to 1996

2230 (40.6)

1739 (47.3)

1357 (47.7)

Tumour characteristics a

   

DCIS

654 (11.7)

443 (11.8)

270 (9.3)

Invasive

4956 (88.3)

3309 (88.2)

2627 (90.7)

Tumour size

   

Less than 2 cm

3162 (65.6)

2197 (66.7)

1685 (64.9)

More than 2 cm

1656 (34.4)

1098 (33.3)

911 (35.1)

Grade

   

Well differentiated

319 (15.2)

240 (16.2)

176 (14.7)

Moderately

860 (41.0)

630 (42.4)

515 (43.1)

Poorly

919 (43.8)

615 (41.4)

505 (42.2)

Nodal involvement

   

No nodes

3931 (70.1)

2684 (71.5)

2006 (69.2)

1 to 3 nodes

904 (16.1)

585 (15.6)

485 (16.7)

4 to 9 nodes

428 (7.6)

268 (7.1)

213 (7.4)

More than 10 nodes

228 (4.1)

140 (3.7)

129 (4.5)

Metastatic

119 (2.1)

75 (2.0)

64 (2.2)

Receptor status

   

ER+

2738 (74.5)

1953 (75.2)

1572 (75.3)

PR+

2083 (61.2)

1518 (61.9)

1235 (62.3)

  1. aTumour characteristics abstracted from medical pathology reports. BC, breast cancer; BBD, benign breast disease; BMI, body mass index; DCIS, ductal carcinoma in situ; ER, oestrogen receptor; PMH, postmenopausal hormone; PR, progesterone receptor; TMA, tissue microarrays.