Among 38 vimentin-positive tumours, 31 were ER-negative and 31 were PgR-negative, whereas 7 were ER and PgR-positive (p < 0.001) (Table 1). Also 37 cases were HER2-negative and only 1 was positive (p < 0.004) (Table 1). Moreover, vimentin expressing tumours were usually positive for at least one of the basal type cytokeratins (CK5/6 or CK14 or CK17) (p < 0.001)

(Table 1). Vimentin-positive GANT61 in vivo tumours were significantly more often high grade tumours. Such relationship was very strong in all patients (p < 0.001) and significant in triple negative tumours (p = 0.035). In the non-triple negative group only not significant tendency towards such relationship was observed (p = 0.065). There was also a statistically insignificant but quite obvious tendency towards a relationship between vimentin and cyclin E. Vimentin-positive tumours more frequently expressed cyclin E (p = 0.058) (Table 1). Relation with Ki-67 and p-cadherin did not attain

statistical significance (p = 0.152 and p = 0.110, respectively) (Table 1). 54 patients had triple negative tumours (30.2%) (Table 2), whereas non-triple negative phenotype defined as the expression of at least one of the three markers (ER, PgR or HER2) was observed in 125 patients (69.8%) (Table 2). Among 54 triple negative tumours, 39 (72.2%) Bucladesine chemical structure were ‘CK5/6 or 14 or 17′-positive and 15 (27.8%) were negative for these keratins. Subgroup Hazard ratio (95%CI) p value 5-year Casein kinase 1 survival rate (95%CI) (%) p value (log-rank) All patients (n

= 179) ‘CK5/6 or 14 or 17′ 1.46 (0.90–2.37) 0.127   0.124 Positive     63.5 (50.7–73.8)   Negative     75.3 (66.1–82.4)   Vimentin 1.22 (0.69–2.14) 0.497   0.496 Positive     59.5 (42.1–73.3)   Negative     73.9 (65.7–80.4)   ‘Vimentin or CK5/6 or 1.73 (1.07–2.81) 0.026   0.024 14 or 17′         Positive     61.5 (49.3–71.6)   Negative     77.6 (68.2–84.5)   Triple negative patients (n = 54) ‘CK5/6 or 14 or 17′ 0.50 (0.21–1.20) 0.122   0.115 Positive     71.8 (54.9–83.3)   Negative     52.5 (25.2–74.0)   Vimentin 0.64 (0.28–1.48) 0.297   0.293 Positive     69.0 (48.8–82.5)   Negative     68.0 (46.1–82.5)   ‘Vimentin or CK5/6 or 0.56 (0.22–1.45) 0.234   0.227 14 or 17′         Positive     78.6 (62.9–88.2)   Negative     58.3 (27.0–80.1)   Non-triple negative patients (n = 125) ‘CK5/6 or 14 or 17′ 2.61 (1.40–4.84) 0.002   0.002 Positive     50.9 (30.7–67.9)   Negative     77.8 (67.9–84.9)   Vimentin* 3.26 (1.37–7.77) 0.008   0.005 Positive     25.4 (3.8–56.4)   Negative     75.2 (66.1–82.2)   ‘Vimentin or CK5/6 or 3.04 (1.66–5.56) <0.001   <0.001 14 or 17′         Positive     47.5 (29.1–63.8)   Negative     80.1 (70.2–87.0)   *In a non-triple negative group only 9 patients were positive for vimentin.