Albumin
Albumin is a protein found in the blood that plays a crucial role in maintaining various bodily functions, including blood volume, blood pressure, and the transport of hormones, vitamins, and minerals.
Associated with improved prognosis in certain types of cancer.
May be a marker of improved nutritional status and reduced inflammation in cancer patients.
Albumin is the most abundant plasma protein, synthesized by the liver. Biologically, it maintains oncotic pressure, transports hormones/drugs, and buffers redox and metabolic stress.
In oncology, serum albumin is a host-state biomarker, not a tumor marker.
What Low Albumin Means in Cancer
-Hypoalbuminemia reflects a convergence of cancer-relevant processes:
-Chronic inflammation (IL-6 suppresses hepatic albumin synthesis)
-Catabolism and cachexia
-Poor nutritional reserve
-Liver synthetic stress
-Advanced systemic disease
Low albumin is therefore a global severity signal, not a single-pathway readout.
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