Mucin-producing adenocarcinomas and nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis. Pathogenetic role of tumor mucin

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Abstract
The clinicopathologic data for 5 patients who died of nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE) and disseminated thrombosis and multiple infarcts associated with mucin‐producing adenocarcinomas were presented. Histochemical studies on the valvular vegetations and thrombi revealed that histochemically stainable mucinous substance was an integral part. In 1 patient, circulating mucinous substance was found prior to the development of NBTE and disseminated thrombosis, and the identical mucinous substance was found in the tumor tissue, indicating a possible pathogenetic role of tumor mucin in NBTE‐associated mucin‐producing adenocarcinomas. Our observations and reports of others suggest that intravascular mucin may be responsible for the clinical syndromes of mucinous malignancies, venous thrombosis, and NBTE with emboli.