S100A8 and cancer: This distinction is particularly important as the synergism and convergence in the signaling pathways of inflammation and cancer – especially the release of damage-associated molecular pattern molecules (such as S100A8/A9 and S100A12), downstream activation of nuclear factor-κB, and expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines – can lead to positive feedback loops perpetuating chronic inflammation and thus a pro-tumorigenic microenvironment [13, 38].