STAT3 and neoplasm: NF-kB-induced IL-6 stimulates STAT3 activation in intestinal epithelial cells and promotes tumorigenesis in CAC through the inhibition of apoptosis and induction of cell proliferation (Azoitei et al., 2016; Siska et al., 2017), although IL-6 does not have significant effect on early tumor promotion in the CAC.