STAT3 and gastric cancer: Although we cannot preclude the likely involvement of other growth factors and/or cytokines, the studies of neutralizing IL-6 or inhibiting JAK2-STAT3 pathway activation with AG490 reveal that IL-6 is an important mediator in tumor-promoting effects of gastric CAFs that promotes EMT and peritoneal metastasis via the activating JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in gastric cancer.