STAT3 and cancer: Additionally, NF-κB plays a role in cancer progression by interacting with other transcription factors such as STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3), p53 (tumor protein p53), ATF3 (activating transcription factor 3), and SMAD3/4 (Suppressor of Mothers against Decapentaplegic 3/4), which then bind to the promoter regions of their target genes, regulating their expression patterns [10,11].