In univariate analysis, TNM stage, pathological grade, lymph node status, and TNF-α level were found to be significantly associated with the OS of all pancreatic cancer patients (P = 0.0029, 0.0088, 0.0021 and 0.0071, respectively; Table 1) as well as PDAC patients (P = 0.0081, 0.0199, 0.009 and 0.0141, respectively; Table 1). Here, TNF is linked to pancreatic neoplasm.