In the receptor positive subgroup, significance was retained in multivariate analysis (HR 1.465, 95% CI 1.150–1.867; P = 0.002), including confounding factors of age, tumour size, stage, grade, NPI, lymphovascular invasion, ER, PR and HER2 status (with individual Kaplan–Meier statistics of P < 0.05 for all variables). This evidence concerns the gene ERBB2 and neoplasm.