STAT3 and neoplasm: We found that constitutive activation of NF-κB and STAT3 begins well before frank tumors develop, with co-activation of NF-κB and STAT3 playing a role in tumor maintenance, and activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway in the neoplastic B cells being responsible, in part, for the constitutive activation of NF-κB and STAT3.