PREDICTION OF DISEASE RELAPSE IN PATIENTS WITH BREAST-CANCER - EVALUATION OF PROGNOSTIC FACTORS AND CONTRIBUTION OF RISK SCORES

Among 157 breast cancer patients with median follow-up term of 120 mon ths, we analyzed relationships of clinicopathologic factors and severa l prognostic factors determined histochemically with disease relapse, and we determined risk scores. Lymph-node status (p=0.0001) and microv essel count (MVC) (p=0.026) in all patients, p53 protein (p=0.0019) an d MVC (p=0.001) in node-negative patients had independently significan t prognostic value in predicting disease relapse. The risk scores base d upon these factors had powerful predictive values for disease relaps e (p=0.0001). Using these factors, we could simply and accurately iden tify patients with high-risk for relapse. Moreover, it might be useful for making decisions on adjuvant therapy.