STAT3 and cancer: Acacetin (20, 30 and 50 μM) also inhibits cancer cell proliferation and cell growth by reducing the phosphorylation of STAT3 in DU145 cells and then induces apoptosis by suppressing the expression of STAT3 target proteins, such as Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Mcl-1, cyclin D1 and survivin.