IL18 and cancer: Previous studies have emphasized that pro-inflammatory cytokines facilitate pro-carcinogenic activity by triggering the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), and signal tranducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and subsequently support cancer survival and distant metastasis, particularly IL-1β and IL-18 (35–37).