Interestingly, the expression level of p-STAT3 was observed to be negatively correlated with the cell early apoptosis rate induced by the three chemotherapeutic drugs in the SCLC cell lines (2-tailed Pearson correlation, r = −0.786, −0.742, −0.805; P < 0.05; Fig. 6b–d), which was consistent with the conclusions stated above. The gene discussed is STAT3; the disease is small cell lung carcinoma.