On univariate survival analysis (Table 3), tumour size (P<0.10), lymph node involvement (P<0.0001), hormone receptor status (P<0.10), albumin (P<0.01), Ki-67 (P<0.05), microvessel density CD34+ (P<0.05), locoregional treatment (P<0.0001) and systemic treatment (P⩽0.01) were significantly associated with cancer-specific survival. This evidence concerns the gene CD34 and cancer.