IL6 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Results: Evidence of manifest portal hypertension (PH) was associated with a higher 18F-fluorodeoxy-glucose (FDG) uptake of HCC on positron emission tomography (PET; p < 0.001) and increased serum levels of C-reactive protein (p = 0.008) and interleukin−6 (IL-6; p = 0.001).