Malignant mesothelioma of 17 years' duration with high pleural fluid concentration of hyaluronate.

A patient suffering from malignant mesothelioma of funicular (intra-abdominal) origin is described. The disease proved fatal after 17 years' duration, which is the longest ever described without treatment. The analysis of the pleural fluid hyaluronate concentration gave strong evidence of the malignant aetiology, while biopsies taken 17 and 8 years before the pleurisy caused marked difficulties as to interpretation. In malignant mesothelioma a markedly elevated pleural fluid hyaluronate concentration appears to be a characteristic and specific feature.