IL6 and neoplasm: Tumor plasticity (also known as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition) is driven by an autocrine loop involving multiple proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-6, IL-8, and TGF-β.33,37 In addition to release from effector cells (i.e., T-cells, B-cells, NK cells), IL-6, IL-8, and TGF-β are also produced and released by tumor cells and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs).