Cancer stem cells have been suggested to play key role in tumor relapse, drug-resistance and metastasis. Chronic inflammatory states have been associated with an increased risk of malignancy. Therefore, it is possible that cytokines associated with chronic inflammation, such as IL-6, IL-8 and EGF, regulate the self-renewal of cancer stem cells via NF-κB/ Stat3 pathways. In this review, we will discuss how these adaptive processes potentially become subverted to enhance the development and function of cancer stem cells.