Correspondingly, preventing the capacity of tumor cells to up-regulate IL-6 through different shRNA clones is sufficient to: 1) significantly decrease serum IL-6 levels; 2) diminish MDSC mobilization; 3) reverse the galectin-1-dependent regulatory activity of γδ T cells; and 4) render previously IL-17 insensitive tumors susceptible to IL-17 blockade. The gene discussed is IL17A; the disease is neoplasm.