Scar Carcinoma

Adenocarcinoma, particularly the bronchiole-alveolar type, is the most common histology found in scar carcinomas. These cancers often arise in areas of hyperplastic epithelium or pulmonary fibrosis. The incidence of bronchiole-alveolar carcinoma is increasing, perhaps because more people are now surviving infarcts, trauma and inflammatory lung disease. Areas of scarring or fibrosis may actually develop within adenocarcinomas during their growth. This may result in prolonged radiographic stability and the erroneous assumption that the lesion is benign. The prognosis of tumors with advanced collagen formation within these fibrotic areas is poorer than that of tumors with little or no collagenation.

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