Acid mucopolysaccharide composition of serous effusions.Study of 100 patients with neoplastic and non-neoplastic conditions

Serous effusions from 100 patients were examined for cancer cells and analyzed for acid mucopolysaccharides (AMPS) by both quantitative and qualitative methods. Strikingly high concentrations of hyaluronic acid were present not only in effusions from patients with mesotheliomas but also in effusions from many patients with other neoplasms. In 15 of 23 fluids analyzed in detail 20 to 90% of the AMPS was identified as a type of chondroitin sulfate.