TNF and gastric cancer: These cytokines are important mediators in gastric physiology and pathophysiology and could play important roles in the etiology of gastric cancer (e.g., IL-1 controls stomach acidity, IL-8 stimulates the proliferation of endothelial cells, IL-10 down-regulates cytotoxic responses, and the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α mediates inflammatory responses) [7].