Table 5

Multivariate Cox regression analysis of DKK3 promoter methylation with regard to disease-free survival

Multivariate analysis

Disease-free survival

(global model)

Multivariate analysis

Disease-free survival

(reverse selection procedure²)

Variable

HR

95% CI¹

P

HR

95% CI¹

P

Age at diagnosis

<57 years

0

1.0

≥ 57 years

1

0.57

0.24 – 1.33

0.191

Tumor size

pT1-2

0

1.0

pT3-4

1

0.61

0.22 – 1.72

0.353

Lymph nodes

pN0

0

1.0

1.0

pN1-3

1

4.24

1.50 – 11.96

0.006

4.01

1.49 – 10.81

0.006

Histological grade

G1

0

1.0

1.0

G2-G3

1

2.01

0.91 – 4.43

0.086

1.93

0.88 – 4.24

0.102

Histological type

IDC

0

1.0

other

1

1.04

0.42–2.62

0.929

Estrogen receptor

negative

0

1.0

positive

1

2.17

0.78 – 6.03

0.137

Progesterone receptor

negative

0

1.0

1.0

positive

1

0.36

0.15 – 0.88

0.025

0.53

0.25 – 1.11

0.091

DKK3 promoter

unmethylated

0

1.0

1.0

methylated

1

2.46

1.01 – 5.97

0.047

2.08

0.88 – 4.88

0.094

¹Confidence interval (CI) on the estimated hazard ratio (HR). ²Only terms that remained in the model after reverse selection are listed. All variables were stratified binary according to Table 3.

Veeck et al. BMC Cancer 2009 9:217   doi:10.1186/1471-2407-9-217