IL-6 signalling is mediated through the Janus kinase (JAK), signal transducer, activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), which induces AR-mediated gene activation in prostate cancer (Hobisch et al, 1998; Lou et al, 2000; Spiotto and Chung, 2000). The gene discussed is STAT3; the disease is prostate cancer.