The relationship between inflammation and cancer has attracted attention for a long time. The inflammatory tumor microenvironment consists of inflammatory cells, chemokines, cytokines, and signaling pathways. Among them, inflammatory cytokines play an especially pivotal role in cancer development, prognosis, and treatment. Interleukins, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), interferons, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are the representative inflammatory cytokines in various cancers, which may promote or inhibit cancer progression. The pro-inflammatory cytokines are associated with advanced cancer stages, resistance to immunotherapy, and poor prognoses, such as in objective response and disease control rates, and progression-free and overall survival. In this review, we selected colorectal, pancreatic, breast, gastric, lung, and prostate cancers, which are well-reported for an association between cancer and inflammatory cytokines. The related cytokines and their effects on each cancer’s development and prognosis were summarized. In addition, the treatment strategies targeting inflammatory cytokines in each carcinoma were also described here. By understanding the biological roles of cancer-related inflammatory cytokines, we may modulate the inflammatory tumor microenvironment for potential cancer treatment.

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a process in which damage is induced in hypoxic tissue when oxygen supply is resumed after ischemia. During IRI, restoration of reduced nitric oxide (NO) levels may alleviate reperfusion injury in ischemic organs. The protective mechanism of NO is due to anti-inflammatory effects, antioxidant effects, and the regulation of cell signaling pathways. On the other hand, it is generally known that S-nitrosylation (SNO) mediates the detrimental or protective effect of NO depending on the action of the nitrosylated target protein, and this is also applied in the IRI process. In this review, the effect of each change of NO and SNO during the IRI process was investigated.

So Won Lee and Hyang-Mi Lee. Biomolecules & Therapeutics 2024;32:424-31. https://doi.org/10.4062/biomolther.2023.197

Hyang-Mi Lee. Biomolecules & Therapeutics 2022;30:299-308. https://doi.org/10.4062/biomolther.2021.180

Jongyoon Kim*, Kyung-Seon Oh* and Hyang-Mi Lee. J. Kor. Soc. Health-syst. Pharm. 2024;41:402-13. https://doi.org/10.32429/jkshp.2024.41.4.005

Jongyoon Kim and Hyang-Mi Lee. Korean J Clin Pharm 2025;35:1-12. https://doi.org/10.24304/kjcp.2025.35.1.1