Apatinib inhibited osteosarcoma growth in vitro by inducing autophagy and apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells via directly inhibiting expression of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 and inactivating signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), which is mediated by VEGFR248. Here, STAT3 is linked to osteosarcoma.