Significance of the quantification and demonstration of hyaluronic acid in tissue specimens for the diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma.

Hyaluronic acid in pleural tissues from patients with mesothelioma, carcinoma, and asbestosis of the lung was quantified by using specific glycosaminoglycan-degrading enzymes. In all cases of pleural mesothelioma, the quantity of hyaluronic acid in mg/g of dry tissue was at least 0.10 mg, whereas carcinomatous pleural tissue and pleura in asbestosis contained 0.02 to 0.03 mg/g of dry tissue.