Abstract
Inflammation is a double-edged sword presenting a dual effect on cancer development, from one hand promoting tumor initiation and progression and from the other hand protecting against cancer through immunosurveillance mechanisms. Cytokines are crucial components of inflammation, participating in the interaction between the cells of tumor microenvironment. A comprehensive study of the role of cytokines in the context of the inflammation-tumorigenesis interplay helps us to shed light in the pathogenesis of cancer. In this paper we focus on the role of cytokines in the development of genomic instability, an evolving hallmark of cancer.