CRP and neoplasm: Using SHAP to uncover the most important markers for the machine learning models based on RFs (see Fig. 2a and Table 4), we observed ALP and CRP to be among the top most predictive markers for both models based on routine blood markers alone and on combined routine blood and tumour markers, and CYFRA 21.1 to follow in importance in the combined routine blood and tumour markers, suggesting an association of these markers with progression.