Malignant Mesothelioma : Special Stains

Comments:
Malignant mesotheliomas frequently contain myxoid stroma which is composed of acid mucopolysaccharides. These mucosubstances have abundant hyaluronic acid, stain with colloidal iron and Alcian Blue stains, and are removed by pretreatment with hyaluronidase. PAS stain is negative. This image shows abundant myxoid stroma filling up the space in between infiltrating individual tumor cells in the small bowel wall.