Immunocytochemistry in the identification of vascular invasion in breast cancer.

Immunocytochemical stains were used to find out whether they would increase the accuracy of detecting lymphatic and vascular invasion by primary breast cancer cells over conventional histological methods. Immune probes for type IV collagen were of value in confirming the conventional diagnosis of vascular invasion while stains for factor VIII assisted in differentiating small blood vessels from lymphatic channels. Antibodies to type IV collagen also increased the accuracy and rate of detection achieved by conventional histology.