IL6 and hepatocellular carcinoma: In the largest of them, comprising a total of 641 patients with CHB, Tang et al. showed that serum levels of IL-6 in patients with CHB correlated with the severity of infection, being higher in patients with cirrhosis or HCC when compared with inactive carriers and in chronic active than chronic persistent hepatitis, highlighting the critical role of IL-6 in HBV-related liver inflammation and regeneration [115].