At a molecular level, oleocanthal suppressed the phosphorylation of the transcription factor STAT3, reduced STAT3 nuclear localization, and curbed STAT3 transcriptional activity, thereby downregulating STAT3-regulated gene products, including invasion-related proteins [matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9], anti-apoptotic proteins (Bcl-xL and Mcl-1) and the angiogenic factor VEGF (Vascular endothelial growth factor), which are involved in invasion, apoptosis and angiogenesis of melanoma [38]. The gene discussed is VEGFA; the disease is melanoma.