TNF and neoplasm: Serum ALB may act as a tumor suppressor through the following mechanisms: on the one hand, the activated pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-6 and TNF-α inhibit the secretion of ALB by hepatic cells, these cytokines are critical molecules driving liver cancer progression (43); on the other hand, ALB serves as a stabilizer of cell growth and DNA replication by scavenging the free radicals, thereby maintains the endocrine homeostasis (44).