STAT3 and cancer: During the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma, the expression level of long noncoding RNA-activated by transforming growth factor beta (lncRNA-ATB) was increased and directly linked to IL-11, which altered IL-11 tertiary structure, increased the stability of IL-11 mRNA, induced IL-11 autocrine, triggered the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway, and promoted cancer metastasis and organ colonization.