Circulating mucopolysaccharide (mucin) in two adults with metastatic adenocarcinoma. Detection in peripheral blood smear and at autopsy.

We report two cases of circulating mucin that occurred in women with metastatic adenocarcinoma. In both women, mucin was seen on the peripheral blood smear, but no difficulties were encountered in counting blood cells. In one patient, the mucin was grossly visible in the plasma and within phagocytes. Systemic mucin thromboses were detected in the second woman whose death was due to cerebral infarcts from multiple mucin emboli.