We aimed to determine the correlations between standard clinicopathological factors and expression of c-erbB-2 and p53 proteins, and to investigate the significance of these variables in relapse and disease-free survival (DFS) in breast carcinoma patients. Data from 200 patients who had undergone mastectomy for breast carcinoma were evaluated. Significant correlations were found between c-erbB-2 positivity and high histological grade (grade 3) tumour, p53 positivity and high grade tumour, and age < 60 years and oestrogen receptor negativity. Twenty-six patients (13%) developed a recurrence. Disease relapse was more frequent in patients who had axillary lymph node (ALN) metastasis, high grade tumour, c-erbB-2 positivity and p53 positivity; these variables were also associated with a shorter DFS. The effects of ALN metastasis and p53 positivity were significant. In conclusion, ALN metastasis and p53 positivity were important factors for predicting disease relapse in mastectomy-treated breast carcinoma patients; other clinicopathological criteria and c-erbB-2 positivity were not predictive.