Multivariate analysis revealed that preoperative serum IL6 > 8.45 pg/ml (HR 4.42, 95% CI 2.58-7.58, p < 0.001), preoperative serum IL8 > 68 pg/ml (HR 1.73, 95% CI 1.12-2.68, p = 0.013), preoperative serum TNF − α > 14.9 pg/ml (HR 5.48, 95% CI 2.18-13.81, p = 0.004), MVI (HR 1.86, 95% CI 1.15-2.99, p = 0.011), and maximum tumor size > 6 cm (HR 1.72, 95% CI 1.03-2.89, p = 0.039) were independent risk factors of recurrence-free survival in HCC patients (Table 2). Here, TNF is linked to neoplasm.