IL6 and cancer: The genes that were selected in the present study for analysis of altered gene expression in the tumour samples were p16 as an HPV type-independent cellular correlate for increased HPV oncogene expression [23], potential receptors for HPV (ITGA6, SDC) [24] and representative genes of cancer-associated inflammation (IL6, IL8, IL12A, IFNGR1, TNFA1P1) [25].