Izhodišča. Enega izmed največjih izzivov pri zdravljenju raka dojk v zgodnjem stadiju predstavlja izbor bolnic s predvidenim agresivnejšim potekom bolezni, ki potrebujejo dopolnilno sistemsko zdravljenje. O tem se odločamo na podlagi različnih napovednih dejavnikov, kot so status pazdušnih bezgavk, velikost tumorja, stopnja diferenciacije, limfovaskularna invazija, starost bolnic, status hormonskih receptorjev, status HER2, v zadnjem času pa v ta namen ponekod uporabljajo tudi urokinazni aktivator plazminogena (uPA) in inhibitor aktivatorja plazminogena 1 (PAI-1). Vloga novejših napovednih dejavnikov v primerjavi s tradicionalnimi še ni povsem razjasnjena. Namen raziskave je bil ugotoviti vpliv posameznih dejavnikov na preživetje bolnic z rakom dojk brez zasevkov v bezgavkah, zdravljenih v Univerzitetnem kliničnem centru (UKC) Maribor. Hkrati sem želela tudi primerjati preživetje bolnic, zdravljenih v UKC Maribor, s slovenskim povprečjem. Bolnice in metode. Opravila sem retrospektivno analizo bolnic z invazivnim rakom dojk brez zasevkov v bezgavkah, ki so bile primarno zdravljene v UKC Maribor v letih 2000–2009. Podatke sem pridobila iz medicinske dokumentacije in jih dopolnila s podatki iz Registra raka Republike Slovenije, od koder sem pridobila tudi podatke o vseh primerljivih slovenskih bolnicah, zdravljenih v istem obdobju. Analizirala sem korelacije med napovednimi dejavniki in s pomočjo Coxove regresije in Coxovega modela sorazmernih tveganj opravila univariatne in multivariatne analize preživetja brez bolezni, celokupnega in specifičnega preživetja. Rezultati. Študijsko skupino je sestavljalo 858 bolnic s srednjim časom sledenja 101 mesec. Med bolnicami, zdravljenimi v UKC Maribor, in vsemi slovenskimi bolnicami ni bilo razlik v celokupnem (HR 1,07 95 % CI 0,91–1,27 p = 0,413) in specifičnem preživetju (HR 0,85 95 % CI 0,66–1,11 p = 0,234). Preživetje brez bolezni (HR 0,67 95 % CI 0,50–0,91 p = 0,010) in specifično preživetje (HR 0,53 95 % CI 0,30–0,94 p = 0,031) je bilo statistično značilno boljše v obdobju 2005–2009 v primerjavi z 2000–2004, pri celokupnem preživetju pa se je kazal enako usmerjen statistično neznačilen trend (HR 0,73 95 % CI 0,51–1,05 p = 0,087). Med napovednimi dejavniki so bile prisotne številne korelacije. V multivariatnih analizah so na preživetje brez bolezni najbolj vplivali starost ob diagnozi, vrednost uPA/PAI-1 in status estrogenskih receptorjev, na celokupno preživetje starost, stopnja diferenciacije in vrednost uPA/PAI-1, na specifično preživetje pa stopnja diferenciacije. Zaključki. Preživetje bolnic z rakom dojk brez zasevkov v bezgavkah, primarno zdravljenih v UKC Maribor v letih 2000–2009, je zelo visoko in enakovredno preživetju vseh primerljivih bolnic na ravni Slovenije. Kot najpomembnejša napovedna dejavnika sta se pri tej skupini bolnic izkazala vrednost uPA/PAI-1 in stopnja diferenciacije, ki sta klinično pomembno vplivala na preživetje brez bolezni, celokupno in specifično preživetje. Introduction. The choice of patients with an expected aggressive course of the disease who need adjuvant systemic treatment represents one of the main challenges of early stage breast cancer treatment. Prognostic factors, such as lymph node status, tumour size, grade, lymphovascular invasion, patient age, hormone receptor status, HER2 status, and more recently urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), can be used to guide this decision. The significance of some novel prognostic factors in comparison with traditional factors is not yet completely understood. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of different prognostic factors on survival in node-negative breast cancer patients treated in University Medical Centre Maribor. In addition, I wished to compare the survival of patients treated in Maribor with that of all Slovenian patients. Patients and methods. A retrospective analysis of lymph node-negative invasive breast cancer patients treated in University Medical Centre Maribor in the years 2000–2009 was performed. Data were obtained from patient medical records and from the Cancer Registry of Republic of Slovenia whence I also obtained information on all comparable Slovenian patients diagnosed in the same period. Correlations between different prognostic factors were analysed. Univariate and multivariate analyses of disease-free (DFS), overall (OS), and breast cancer specific survival (BCSS) were performed using the Cox regression and the Cox proportional hazards model. Results. The study group consisted of 858 patients with a median follow-up of 101 months. No differences were observed between the Maribor and Slovenian patients in terms of OS (HR 1.07 95% CI, 0.91–1.27 p=0.413) and BCSS (HR 0.85 95% CI, 0.66–1.11 p=0.234). DFS (HR 0.67 95% CI, 0.50–0.91 p=0.010) and BCSS (HR 0.53 95% CI, 0.30–0.94 p=0.031) were significantly better for patients diagnosed in the period 2005–2009 compared to 2000–2004 and a similar though unsignificant trend was observed for OS as well (HR 0.73 95% CI, 0.51–1.05 p=0.087). Many correlations existed between different prognostic factors. In multivariate analyses, DFS was particularly influenced by patient age at diagnosis, uPA/PAI-1 level and oestrogen receptor status, OS by age, grade and uPA/PAI-1 level, and BCSS by tumour grade. Conclusions. Survival of node-negative breast cancer patients treated in University Medical Centre Maribor in the period 2000–2009 was very good and not inferior to the survival of comparable patients at the national level. The most important prognostic factors in node-negative patients were uPA/PAI-1 level and tumour grade because they had a clinically important influence on DFS, OS and BCSS.