Among the 176 breast cancer patients, the lower expression of Arpin was significantly associated with advanced tumour, nodes and metastasis system stage, and the reduced Arpin expression was strongly associated with axillary lymph node metastasis using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis [odds ratio: 3.242; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.526, 6.888; P < 0.05]. This evidence concerns the gene ARPIN and metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.