In comparison with healthy control subjects (416.8 ± 286.9 pg/mL), the levels of serum MIC-1 demonstrated a stepwise increase in patients with benign pancreas tumor (808.4 ± 483.9 pg/mL; P < 0.001), chronic Pancreatitis (1299.0 ± 709.6 pg/mL; P < 0.001) and PDAC (1731.0 ± 1181.0 pg/mL; P < 0.001) (Figure 1d). This evidence concerns the gene GDF15 and chronic pancreatitis.