IL6 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Hepatitis-related inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), have been identified as core promoters of susceptibility to an HBV infection, persistence of an HBV infection, and the initiation, promotion, and progression of the development of HBV-related HCC [2,6,29].