The extracellular matrix of pulmonary scar carcinomas is suggestive of a desmoplastic origin.

Pulmonary scar carcinomas and noncarcinomatous apical scars were subjected to collagen extraction, ultrastructural, and immunocytochemical studies designed to investigate the nature of their extracellular matrix. These studies revealed marked differences in both cellular and biochemical composition of scar carcinomas, compared with apical scars. Myofibroblasts, identified by antimyosin antibodies and confirmed by electron microscopy, constituted over 90% of the stromal cells of the scar carcinomas, compared with 0-10% in the apical scars. Collagen extraction studies revealed both an absolute and relative increase in Type V collagen in the scar carcinomas, compared with that found in the apical scars. The extracellular matrix of the pulmonary scar carcinomas was, however, identical to that of scirrhous carcinomas of the breast. These findings suggest that pulmonary scar carcinomas are probably desmoplastic carcinomas, rather than scar-arising tumors.