STAT3 and plasma cell myeloma: Downregulation of SOCS-1 by gene promoter hypermethylation has been recently reported in 65% of HCC cell line, 62.9% of multiple myeloma patients samples and 31.6% of pancreatic cancer cell lines with resultant activation of STAT3 (Yoshikawa et al, 2001; Fukushima et al, 2003; Galm et al, 2003).