Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41283335›Full record

SynthesisAnnals of medicine2025

Albumin-globulin ratio is a predictive biomarker of antitumour effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer patients.

Kaixiang He, Fujiang Xu, Li Xiang, Yuhao Luo

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Annals of medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. 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

4 authors.

Kaixiang HeDepartment of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan, Luzhou, China.
Fujiang XuDepartment of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan, Luzhou, China.
Li XiangDepartment of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan, Luzhou, China.
Yuhao LuoDepartment of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan, Luzhou, China.ORCID 0000-0002-7489-5770

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundImmune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed cancer therapy, yet the heterogeneity of treatment responses underscores the need for reliable prognostic biomarkers. The albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR), an indicator of systemic inflammation and nutritional status, has emerged as a potential predictor of ICI outcomes. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the prognostic significance of AGR in patients receiving ICIs through a meta-analysis and to validate the findings in a single-centre cohort.

methodsA systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library to identify studies published prior to June 6, 2025. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and disease control rate (DCR). In addition, a retrospective analysis was performed on a cohort of 74 patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) treated with ICIs at our institution to assess the prognostic value of baseline AGR in relation to OS and PFS.

resultsSeven studies encompassing 1,460 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Higher pretreatment AGR was significantly associated with improved OS (HR = 0.44; 95% CI: 0.30-0.66;

conclusionAGR is a simple, inexpensive, and non-invasive biomarker with significant prognostic value in patients undergoing ICI therapy. These findings support its potential role in guiding clinical decision-making and optimizing patient selection for immunotherapy.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, Renal CellGlobulinsImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsKidney NeoplasmsNeoplasmsSerum AlbuminSerum GlobulinsAgedBiomarkers, TumorFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisProgression-Free SurvivalRetrospective StudiesBiomarkers, TumorGlobulinsImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsSerum AlbuminSerum GlobulinscancerImmune checkpoint inhibitorsprognosisrenal cell carcinomatherapeutic response

Identifiers

PMID41283335
PMCPMC12646090

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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 OpenQuestion graph.