Although many of the thrombopoietic cytokines such as TPO, IL-6, TNF-α, and VEGF have been associated with autophagy in MK or other cell types (131, 172) it remains unknown if, through deregulation in cancer, autophagy is central to promoting platelet production and thus sustaining a vicious cycle between malignancy and thrombopoiesis. This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and cancer.