STAT3 and colorectal carcinoma: 93). IL-6 has been linked to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in BC and enhances mesenchymal stem cell recruitment in the breast TME (Refs 94, 95). Therefore, it is interesting that IL-6 secretion is induced by F. nucleatum infection in B lymphocytes (Ref. 96) and macrophages (Ref. 83). Similarly, in CRC, Wang et al. noted that F. nucleatum infected CRC cells displayed an EMT cancer stem cell-like behaviour as a result of IL-6/STAT3 signalling (Ref. 97).