PURPOSEImmunoregulatory cytokines may play a fundamental role in tumor growth and the acute surgical stress response. Inflammatory cytokine profiles have the potential to serve as biomarkers. This study aimed to correlate tumor- or surgery-related inflammatory cytokine profile, derived from data mining, with clinical data and the hospital length of stay for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients during the early enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) period.METHODSA multi-phase detection approach was used, involving pre- and post-operative NSCLC patients and matched healthy controls. In the screening phase, plasma levels of 48 cytokines were quantified using a Luminex multiplex bead array to identify tumor- or surgery-related cytokine profiles. In the confirmation phase, differentially expressed cytokines were validated using ELISA with a new set of samples. Tumor-related cytokines were identified by comparing preoperative NSCLC patients with controls, while tumor or surgery-related cytokines were determined by comparing with the same cohort before and after surgery, as well as postoperative patients with controls. We then searched cancer genomics databases and protein atlas resources to investigate cytokine-related RNA expression and RNA-protein interactions. Finally, we integrated and standardized our results, conducting correlation analysis to explore relationships between cytokines, hospital length of stay, and clinical data.RESULTSDuring the initial phase of the ERAS, a comprehensive array of differential cytokines associated with tumors or surgery, including Eotaxin, IL-1β, IL-1Ra, IL-6, IL-13, IL-16, IP-10, MCP-1, PDGF-BB, RANTES, SCF, and TRAIL, were identified. Preoperative levels of RANTES, urea nitrogen, prognostic-nutritional index, and age may serve as potential indicators for predicting hospital length of stay.CONCLUSIONThe multi-phase detection analysis has identified a plasma cytokine signature for NSCLC patients during the early ERAS period. Assessment of cytokine profiles and clinical data may reveal unique insights into short-term survival outcome under ERAS.