ALB and neoplasm: Alternatively, as a lower albumin concentration was directly associated with hormone receptor-negative tumours, an unfavourable prognostic sign, it may, in part, reflect the biological functions of circulating albumin that include binding and transporting of hormones and growth factors (Margarson and Soni, 1998), inhibiting growth in the breast tumour-cell cytosol (Soreide et al, 1991) and tumour proliferation by modulating the activities of autocrine growth regulatory factors (Laursen et al, 1990).