Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38438901›Full record

Observational studyBMC cancer2024

Comprehensive evaluation of serum hepatic proteins in predicting prognosis among cancer patients with cachexia: an observational cohort study.

Jia-Xin Huang, Xi Zhang, Meng Tang, Qi Zhang, Li Deng, Chun-Hua Song, Wei Li, Han-Ping Shi, Ming-Hua Cong

Open access · goldAbstract readMulticenter StudyObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC cancer, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
3.3field-weighted citation impact, top 8% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Observational
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Development and validation of a machine learning model to predict moderate-to-severe cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.

Jia-Xin Huang *Department of Comprehensive Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Xi Zhang *Department of Comprehensive Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Meng TangDepartment of Comprehensive Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Qi ZhangKey Laboratory of Cancer FSMP for State Market Regulation, Beijing, China.
Li DengKey Laboratory of Cancer FSMP for State Market Regulation, Beijing, China.
Chun-Hua SongDepartment of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
Wei LiCancer Center of the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, People's Republic of China.
Han-Ping ShiKey Laboratory of Cancer FSMP for State Market Regulation, Beijing, China.
Ming-Hua CongDepartment of Comprehensive Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China. congmh@cicams.ac.cn.
Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College · CNChina International Science and Technology Cooperation · CNBeijing Shijitan Hospital · CNJilin University · CNZhengzhou University · CN

Funding

National Multidisciplinary Cooperative Diagnosis and Treatment Capacity Project for Major Diseases: Comprehensive Treatment and Management of Critically Ill Elderly Inpatients No. 2019.YLFW
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHepatic proteins, including albumin, prealbumin, and transferrin have been confirmed to be prognostic predictors in various cancers. This study aimed to comprehensively assess the prognostic value of these three serum markers in patients with cancer cachexia.

methodsThis multicenter prospective cohort study included 1303 cancer cachexia patients, among whom 592 deaths occurred during a median follow-up of 20.23 months. The definition of cachexia was based on the 2011 international consensus. Concordance index (C-index) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were applied to compare the prognostic performance. The primary outcome was overall survival, which was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method generated by log-rank test. A Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to identify independent predictors associated with survival. The secondary outcomes included 90-days mortality and quality of life (QoL).

resultsC-index and ROC curves showed that albumin had the most accurate predictive capacity for survival, followed by transferrin and prealbumin. Multivariate Cox analysis confirmed that low albumin (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.51, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] = 1.28-1.80, P < 0.001), prealbumin (HR = 1.42, 95%CI = 1.19-1.69, P < 0.001), and transferrin (HR = 1.50, 95%CI = 1.25-1.80, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for long-term survival in cancer patients with cachexia. In subgroup analysis, the prognostic value of low albumin was significant in patients with upper gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary and pancreatic, and colorectal cancers; low prealbumin was significant in colorectal cancer; and low transferrin was significant in patients with upper gastrointestinal and colorectal cancer. All three hepatic proteins were valuable as prognostic predictors for patients with advanced (Stage III and IV) cancer with cachexia. The risks of 90-days mortality and impaired QoL were higher in cachexia patients with low albumin, prealbumin, and transferrin levels.

conclusionLow albumin, prealbumin, and transferrin levels were all independent prognostic factors affecting patients with cancer cachexia, especially in patients in the advanced stages. These results highlight the value of routinely checking serum hepatic proteins in clinical practice to predict the prognosis of patients with cancer cachexia.

Indexed as

Colorectal NeoplasmsPrealbuminAlbuminsBlood ProteinsCachexiaCohort StudiesHumansPrognosisProspective StudiesQuality of LifeTransferrinsAlbuminsBlood ProteinsPrealbuminTransferrinsAlbuminCachexiaCancerPrealbuminPrognosisTransferrin

Identifiers

PMID38438901
PMCPMC10913220
OpenAlexW4392379338

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.