However, other studies have reported contradictory findings; Dolled-Filhart et al. [12] reported that STAT3 played the role of a tumor suppressor protein in breast cancer without lymph node metastasis, and the fact that STAT3 and p-STAT3 expression was associated with a favorable prognosis may simply mean that tumors that activate these pathways are less aggressive than tumors that progress even in the absence of STAT activation. This evidence concerns the gene STAT3 and metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.