Orosomucoïd: Prealbumin ratio in the monitoring of lung cancer

Further comments on "A practical prognostic index for inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer"

“…Finally, I would like to express serious concern about the fact that, contrary to most studies published in journals clearly dedicated to laboratory medicine (Charet et al 1996), the study of Wigren et al, all the studies cited in Table 1, and many others (Buccheri and Ferrigno 1994;Watine et al 1998) omitted to describe not only the analytical methodology, but also the preanalytical methodology used to determine the laboratory parameters included in their analysis (including blood hemoglobin). When one bears in mind the preanalytical and/or analytical variability of most of these laboratory parameters (Watine et al 1998), one must seriously question the scienti®c validity of a large part of these results, particularly since any valuable comparison between most of these studies is consequently almost impossible.…”

Can alpha-1-acid glycoprotein affect the outcome of treatment in a cancer patient?

“…The lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in both developed and developing countries. Charet et al (31) reported increased levels of AGP in the group of patients with lung cancer. There was no signifi cant difference in pretreatment levels of AGP between non-small-cell carcinoma and a small-cell-carcinoma.…”

Letter to the Editors · Brief an die Herausgeber

“…7], the study of Ohlhauser et al [3], all studies cited in table 1 as well as other studies [8,9] omitted detailing the methods used to determine the laboratory parameters included in their analysis. In consideration of the analytical variability of most of these laboratory parameters [7][8][9][10][11], the scientific validity of a large part of these results has seriously to be questioned, particularly since any valuable comparison between these studies is consequently almost impossible. Since laboratory doctors are responsible for the results of laboratory parameters included in those clinical studies, wouldn't it be better if these laboratory doctors were invited to participate in these studies as co-authors [12]?…”