IL6 and hepatocellular carcinoma: The high levels of leptin boost TNF-α and IL-6 release from hepatic stellate cells during early stages to perpetuate inflammation severity [4] and unwanted abundance of pro-angiogenic factors like vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia-induced factor-1α (HIF-1 α), increasing the progression to HCC [17].