Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin expression was low in the normal pancreas and in pancreatitis, but very high in the early dysplastic lesions (PanINs), being detectable as early as PanIN-1; it has been previously explored as a marker of premalignant lesions in ovarian cancer (Lim et al, 2007). Here, LCN2 is linked to pancreatitis.