Hepatic macrophages consisting of resident Kupffer cells and infiltrating monocytes are critically involved in the early stages of tumor initiation by releasing inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that mediate DNA damage, oncogenic transformation and cancer-related inflammation. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is neoplasm.