STAT3 and cancer: Treatment with STAT3 inhibitor selectively suppressed the growth, viability, survival and malignant transformation of human breast (MDA-MB-231) and pancreatic (Panc-1) cancer lines, and down-regulated the expression of known STAT3-regulated genes, including c-Myc, Bcl.xL, the matrix metalloproteinase 9, and VEGF [34].