The levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were increased in the HBV-related HCC patients compared with the CHB patients (IL-6: P=0.0001; TNF-α: P=0.0031) and LC patients (IL-6: P=0.0171; TNF-α: P=0.0176) (Fig. 5A-B). Here, IL6 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.