Table 1

Associations between the expression of the breast cancer stem cell markers CD44, CD24 and ALDH1 and the classic breast cancer prognostic factors, biological markers and molecular subtypes

	CD44				CD24				ALDH1
	n	Positive	Negative	p Value	n	Positive	Neg/low	p Value	n	Positive	Negative	p Value
Tumour size	405	207	198	0.414	405	50	355	0.286	405	31	374	0.013
T1 <2 cm	100	49	51		100	13	87		101	1	100
T2 2–5 cm	242	121	121		242	33	209		241	23	218
T3 >5 cm	63	37	26		63	4	59		63	7	56
Lymph nodes	364	191	173	0.006	365	46	319	0.055	362	26	337	0.263
Positive	206	95	111		206	32	174		206	12	194
Negative	158	96	62		159	14	145		157	14	143
Histological grade	440	228	212	0.496	440	51	389	0.065	440	33	407	0.003
Grade I	81	42	39		80	4	76		81	1	80
Grade II	134	64	70		133	14	119		134	6	128
Grade III	225	122	103		227	33	194		225	26	199
ER	461	236	225	0.057	461	53	408	0.574	461	33	428	0.003
Positive	306	147	159		306	37	269		306	14	292
Negative	155	89	66		155	16	139		155	19	136
PgR	462	237	225	0.346	462	53	409	0.374	462	33	429	0.063
Positive	226	121	105		227	23	204		226	11	215
Negative	236	116	120		235	30	205		236	22	214
HER2	459	234	225	0.080	459	52	407	0.075	459	33	426	0.114
Positive	68	28	40		68	12	56		68	8	60
Negative	391	206	185		391	40	351		391	25	366
Ki67	442	228	214	0.988	443	53	390	0.754	441	33	408	0.181
High	29	15	14		29	4	25		29	4	25
Low	413	200	213		414	49	365		412	29	383
EGFR	463	237	226	0.038	463	53	410	0.741	463	33	430	0.004
Positive	22	16	6		22	3	19		22	5	17
Negative	441	221	220		441	50	391		441	28	413
CK5	462	237	225	<0.0001	463	53	410	0.546	462	33	429	<0.0001
Positive	66	52	14		66	9	57		66	12	54
Negative	396	185	211		397	44	353		396	21	375
P-cadherin	463	237	226	0.003	463	53	410	0.747	463	33	430	<0.0001
Positive	114	72	42		114	14	100		114	17	97
Negative	349	165	184		349	39	310		349	16	333
CK14	462	237	225	0.005	463	52	410	0.250	462	33	429	<0.0001
Positive	24	19	5		24	1	23		24	7	17
Negative	438	218	220		439	52	387		438	26	412
Vimentin	455	234	222	<0.0001	456	53	403	0.234	455	33	422	0.010
Positive	78	62	16		78	6	72		78	11	67
Negative	377	172	205		378	47	331		377	22	355
Molecular subtypes	464	237	226	<0.0001	463	53	410	0.418	463	33	430	<0.0001
Luminal A	299	147	152		299	34	265		299	12	287
Luminal B	41	17	24		41	7	34		41	4	37
HER2-OE	33	12	21		33	5	28		33	4	29
Basal-like	68	56	12		68	4	64		68	13	55
Unclassified	22	5	17		22	3	19		22	0	22

ER, oestrogen receptor; PgR, progesterone receptor.