Multiple myeloma staging based on the combination of beta-2-microglobulin and albumin: The role of albumin in the model

Abstract

Albumin appears to lose its prognostic value at high cut-off levels of beta(2)m, while it enhances the prognostic significance of beta(2)m at low cut-off levels of the latter. Albumin cannot be eliminated from the ISS, since it is absolutely necessary in order to identify true low-risk patients. The only possibility for albumin exclusion from the model, could be to decrease the beta(2)m low-risk cut-off from 3.5 to 2.5 mg/l.