Aberrant methylation of DUSP1 occurred more frequently in tumour DNA (OR = 2.278, 95% CI 1.389–3.735, P = 0.001) and PBL DNA (OR = 2.534, 95% CI 1.062–6.044, P = 0.036) with oestrogen receptor (ER)-negativity, as well as for progesterone receptor (PR)-negativity in tumour DNA (OR = 2.016, 95% CI 1.275–3.186, P < 0.01) and PBL DNA (OR = 3.034, 95% CI 1.264–7.282, P = 0.013). This evidence concerns the gene PGR and neoplasm.