The paper presents the data available in the literature and the authors' own findings concerning the production of cytokines, such as interleukins 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8, interferons and tumor necrosis factor, in patients with different stages of tuberculosis. A relationship between the production rate of some cytokines and the stage of the disease, the extent of the process, chemotherapeutical efficiency and other clinically important factors is discussed. The prospects of further investigations in this area are dealt with.