STAT3 and cancer: DDR can also lead to the production of cancer-related inflammation, which induces TME-secreting cytokines such as TNF, IL-1, IL-6, and chemokines such as CCL2 and CXCL8, activates transcription factors of NF-κB and Stat-3, and promotes tumor proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and treatment resistance16,43.