For instance, many of STAT3 targets are involved in cellular proliferation (i.e., MYC, CCND1), survival (i.e., BCL2), invasion and metastasis (i.e., ICAM1, MMP2, MMP9, MMP1, MMP10) and encode tumor-promoting cytokines (IL6, IL11 and CXCL12)35–37. This evidence concerns the gene MMP2 and neoplasm.