HCC progression arises from chronic inflammation, ECM dysregulation, and metabolic aberrations, and chemokine-driven immune cell infiltration (tumor-associated macrophages and regulatory T cells) exacerbates hepatocyte damage via IL-6/TNF-α secretion and promotes ECM degradation through matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) upregulation,[24] facilitating tumor invasion. The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.