ALB and plasma cell myeloma: In the first reported trial of THAL in patients with refractory myeloma, Singhal et al (1999) reported increased LDH levels, plasma-cell-labelling index (PCLI) and CRP levels as the predictors of a brief period of EFS, whereas low albumin levels, deletion of chromosome 13 and high numbers of plasma cells in BM were associated with relatively short OS.