Similar negative results were obtained in subgroup analyses (breast cancer: HR 1.22, 95 %CI 0.77 to 1.62; Figs. 4 and 5), with the exception of analysis by patient ethnicity: in non-Asian cancer patients, high/positive APN expression was significantly associated with DFS (HR 1.36, 95 %CI 1.03 to 1.80). This evidence concerns the gene ANPEP and breast carcinoma.