STAT3 and neoplasm: In addition, CD24 (another CSC marker) positive ovarian cancer cells promote spheroid formation and improve tumor-initiating capacity, accompanied by increased level of pSTAT3 and STAT3 target genes, also known as stem cell genes Nanog and c-myc70, further suggesting that STAT3 has a tight relationship with CSCs or CSC-like phenotypes71, 72.