STAT3 and breast cancer: Previous reports showed that pimozide, as a STAT3 and STAT5 inhibitor, inhibited phosphorylation of ERK 1/2, thereby inhibiting cancer cell proliferation.43,44 When RAF1 was silenced, ERK 1/2 phosphorylation was subsequently inhibited, and apoptosis and autophagy were promoted in breast cancer cells, indicated that RAF1 signaling functions to regulate apoptosis and autophagy in breast cancer cells.