To address these gaps, we conducted a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort to evaluate the associations of eleven cytokines and adipokines linked to inflammation or immune function (tumour necrosis factor [TNF]-α, interferon [IFN]-γ, interleukin [IL]-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-13, IL-17D, IL-1RA, CRP, leptin, adiponectin) with breast cancer risk, overall and by menopausal status. This evidence concerns the gene TNF and breast cancer.