title: Hyaluronan content in pleural fluid as a prognostic factor in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Regardless of the modality of therapy used, malignant pleural mesothelioma is a highly treatment-resistant and invariably fatal disease. Identification of prognostic variables are important for future investigational therapeutic studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prognostic significance of various clinical variables, including hyaluronan levels in pleural fluid, was evaluated in a retrospective analysis in 100 patients with histologically confirmed malignant pleural mesothelioma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall median survival was 11.5 months. Univariate analyses identified histologic subtype, i.e., epithelial or mixed, and elevated content of hyaluronan in the pleural effusion as significant prognostic variables. A multivariate analysis confirmed the independent predictive power of histologic subtype, and an elevated concentration of hyaluronan in the pleural fluid also indicated longer survival in older patients and in patients receiving therapy other than supportive.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prognostic value of histologic subtype and the concentration of hyaluronan in pleural effusions should be considered when designing and evaluating treatment trials for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. gunnar.martensson@sahlgrenska.se
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thylén
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hjerpe
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martensson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000378:metabolism*; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D006820:Hyaluronic Acid