In univariate analysis the factors that related to duration of survival overall were overall tumour grade (P⩽0.0001), ER (P⩽0.001), proliferation (P=0.001), phosphorylated p53 (P⩽0.0001), bcl-2 (P=0.01) and survivin (P⩽0.0001). This evidence concerns the gene BIRC5 and neoplasm.