Conversely, inhibition of miR-124 can increase the expression of these target genes, suggesting that circHIPK3 transmits apoptosis resistance signals through the miR-124-SphK1/STAT3/CDK4 signal axis, thus promoting the malignant progression of lung cancer, which provides a new strategy for the treatment of NSCLC [20]. Here, STAT3 is linked to lung carcinoma.