Although there is no sufficient evidence yet to demonstrate the importance of epigenetic regulation of immune cells including monocytes in HIV infection, cancer studies have indicated a clear epigenetic regulation involving cytokines and chemokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6 and IFN-γ produced by tumor cells and/or tumor associated leukocytes with the development of malignancies57. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is cancer.