STAT3 and neoplasm: Current research indicates that the regulatory mechanisms of ZIP4 in tumors primarily involve pathways: 1) CREB/miR-373/PHLPP2/cyclin D1 and CREB/IL-6/STAT3/cyclin D1 promoting cell proliferation and tumor progression; 2) STAT3/ZEB1/ZO-1/Claudin-1, miR-373-LATS2-YAP1/ITGA3 promoting EMT; 3) ZEB1/ITGA3/ITGB1/α3β1/c-JNK, CREB-miR-373-PHLPP2 promoting tumor drug resistance; 4) Ephrin-B1/Wnt5A/JNK/ZEB1 promoting EMT; 5) GSK3β/TRAIL and CREB/SDC1/DNM2 promoting macropinocytosis and muscle wasting (Figure 4).