A previous study found that miR‐124 suppressed STAT3 in esophageal cancer cells and at the same time suppressed the downstream genes of STAT3, including B‐cell lymphoma‐extra large (Bcl‐xl) and matrix metalloproteinase 9, resulting in induction of cell apoptosis and suppression of cell invasion 20. The gene discussed is STAT3; the disease is esophageal cancer.