In accordance with earlier studies of patients with cancer,23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 35, 41 we found that high plasma concentrations of CRP, IL‐6 and YKL‐40 either alone or combined were associated with short OS in patients suspected of cancer. The gene discussed is CHI3L1; the disease is cancer.