IL6 and neoplasm: Interestingly, the cytokines we found to be expressed at highest levels, IL-6, IL-8 and MCP-1, have been previously shown to be involved in local inflammation and promotion of tumor growth including invasion and metastasis (Conti & Rollins 2004, de la Iglesia et al. 2008, Grivennikov & Karin 2008, Chalaris et al. 2011).