IL-6-mediated STAT3 activation upregulates HDAC6 deacetylase, which induces FRA1 Lys-116 deacetylation and FRA1 transcriptional activation, which, in turn, activates the expression of NANOG and other stem cell and EMT-specific proteins, leading to CRC progression, aggressiveness, and metastatic transformation. Here, STAT3 is linked to colorectal carcinoma.