Co-expression of NANOG and OCT4 reportedly enhances the malignancy of lung adenocarcinoma by enhancing the properties of cancer stem cells.29 Inhibition of the IL-6/Stat3 signalling pathway by GMI abolishes cancer stemness in oral carcinoma stem cells.22 In the present study, GMI decreased the expression of stemness-related transcriptional factors NANOG and OCT4 and lung cancer stem cell markers CD133 and CD44. Here, POU5F1 is linked to cancer.