MCL1 and colorectal carcinoma: Moreover, the secretion of IL-6 by CAFs leads to the upregulation of BCL-XL and MCL-1 in CRC cells via the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway, which simultaneously promotes apoptosis resistance [85]; however, the dynamic interactions between pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic BCL‐2 protein families (BCL-2, BCL-XL, BCL-w, MCL-1 and BCL-2A1) balance the commitment of cells to apoptosis [86, 87].