The obesity-driven HCC development largely depends on a chronic pro-inflammatory state that results in elevated circulating levels of cytokines, such as tumor necrotic factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6)7,8, and the latter of which has recently been shown to correlate with HCC progression in obese people9. This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.