STAT3 and cancer: First, SSd exerts its anticancer effects against hepatoma cells through induction of caspase-3-dependent and independent apoptosis [22, 23], induction of p53-p21-mediated G1 phase arrest [23], downregulation of key regulators of cancer progression [25], and downregulation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3- (STAT3-) hypoxia inducible factor- (HIF-) 1α-Cox-2 pathway [29].