MMP9 and neoplasm: IL-6 is also upregulated in the tumor microenvironment, where it activates two signaling pathways: (i) JAK2/STAT-3, which induces EMT (upregulation of E- and N-cadherin, MMP7, and MMP9) and increases the metastatic potential [177]; (ii) PI3K/Akt, which promotes cancer cell survival [178].