IL6 and gastric cancer: H. pylori may increase risk of gastric cancer in part by activating NF-κB signaling [10, 11], leading to secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8).