No significant correlation was detected between NR4A1 expression and patient age, tumor histological grade or lymph node metastasis (Fig. 1d), but NR4A1 expression was negatively associated with the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) tumor stage, TNM stage and Ki67 proliferative index of patients with BC (Fig. 1d, e). This evidence concerns the gene NR4A1 and metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.