Tissue group n Histology / nodal status (*) Age (**) NB 19 Normal breast from non-tumour patients 30.7 ± 7.7 29 (24-35) NB-T 18 Normal breast from breast tumour patients 62.7 ± 11.5 64 (55-72) B 8 Benign tumours/pathologies: IDP (2); DE (1); FA (2); Cys (2); CysH (1) 51.4 ± 15 49.5 (39-58) T 23 Malignant tumours: IDC (19); ILC (3); IPC (1); N0 (15); N1/2 (8). 59.4 ± 12.6 60 (53-70) paired       NB-T 14 Normal breast from breast tumour patients 64.6 ± 10.7 66 (57-74) T 14 Malignant tumours: IDC (10); ILC (3); IPC (1); N0 (9); N1/2 (5).

(*) Histology/nodal status. Benign tumours/pathologies: IDP = intraductal papilloma; DE = duct ectasia; FA = fibroadenoma; Cys =Fibrocystic change; CysH= Fibrocystic change with hyperplasia of usual type, Malignant tumours: IDC = invasive ductal carcinoma; ILC = invasive lobular carcinoma; IPC = invasive papillary carcinoma; N0 = no nodal involvement; N1/2 = nodal involvement. Number of specimens within brackets. All specimens as paraffin embedded archival blocks. (**) age in years.First line: mean ± SD; second line: median (interquartile range)

Table 1: Breast tissues examined and age of the patients.