STAT3 and neoplasm: These properties could be attributed to STAT3-mediated transcriptional activation of cellular genes such as MUC1, c-Myc, VEGF, and cyclin D1, all known for their tumor-promoting functions (Weber-Nordt et al., 1996; Kondo et al., 2007; Lui et al., 2009; Wang et al., 2010; Shair and Raab-Traub, 2012).