In humans, gastric-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), Barrett’s esophagus (BE), esophageal squamous dysplasia and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) have all been associated with a chronic enrichment of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL1-β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNFα4,13–15. Here, CXCL8 is linked to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.