Persistent STAT3 activation is associated with enhanced proliferation and invasion of colorectal cancer cells in vitro and tumour growth in a colorectal tumour model in vivo, and inhibition of STAT3 induces apoptosis and reduces tumour cell invasion in colorectal cancer cells (Corvinus et al, 2005; Lin et al, 2005; Tsareva et al, 2007; Xiong et al, 2008). Here, STAT3 is linked to neoplasm.