A large scale study with well-controlled NPC specimens collected from different clinical and histopathological stages and the use of sensitive antibody for LMP1 will be required to define the relationship of STAT3 activation with LMP1 and IL-6R expression in EBV-infected NPC and their impact on the clinico-pathological properties of NPC in patients. The gene discussed is IL6R; the disease is nasopharyngeal carcinoma.