IL6 and neoplasm: In previous studies investigating the tumor microenvironment, along with immune cells, including T lymphocytes and macrophages, cytokines and proteins involved in the inflammatory response of the microenvironment, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and matrix metalloproteinase-11 (MMP-11), showed significant prognostic values in predicting clinical outcomes in patients with gastric cancer [10,11,12].