Consequently, IFN-λ promotes the activity of transcription factors STAT1, STAT2, and STAT3 by influencing the JAK-STAT signaling pathway, leading to the dysregulation of downstream gene expression (Additional file 5: Figure S5A), such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), including MMP1, MMP3, MMP7, MMP10, and MMP13 genes, which are almost universally upregulated in cancer [20]. Here, MMP3 is linked to cancer.