STAT3 and neuroblastoma: Among the genes that are more highly expressed in neuroblastoma, another interesting candidate was found to be located just outside the enriched 17q21.3 segment but within the same chromosome band, namely STAT3. This gene encodes an oncogenic transcription factor that plays a central role in the janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway, promoting growth and survival of tumor cells, inducing tumor angiogenesis, and suppressing antitumor immune responses.