Plasma PIM-1 levels in patients with pancreatic cancer (29.8 ± 47.7 ng/ml) were significantly higher than in healthy volunteers (0.21 ± 0.31 ng/ml), in patients with chronic pancreatitis (3.11 ± 5.2 ng/ml), in patients with other pancreatic tumours (8.75 ± 6.6 ng/ml) or in patients with PNETs (15.7 ± 8.9 ng/ml) (P = 0.000, P = 0.000, P = 0.000 and P = 0.01, respectively). The gene discussed is PIM1; the disease is chronic pancreatitis.