Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot analysis showed that STAT3 protein expression was significantly decreased in CNE-2 and 5-8F NPC cells transfected with miR-296-5p mimics but significantly increased in CNE-1 cells transfected with the miR-296-5p inhibitor (Fig. 4A–C). This evidence concerns the gene STAT3 and nasopharyngeal carcinoma.