Differentiation between cancerous and normal hyperplastic lobules in breast lesions.

Determining the risk that a particular area of hyperplastic breast tissue will progress to cancer is difficult and is currently expressed only as a general risk factor within the population. Using an antibody against the apoptotic purinergic receptor P2X7, we examined 40 cases each of the following histological categories: normal, moderate, florid and atypical hyperplasia, lobular carcinoma in situ, ductal carcinoma in situ, invasive lobular and invasive ductal carcinoma. These were previously diagnosed by H&E and supplied by clinical laboratories as tissue sections.