STAT3 and neoplasm: Other molecular pathways, such as cyclooxygenase (COX), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), have been implicated in tumor progression, suggesting a complex interplay of molecular alterations in FOSCC development (5, 7, 49, 51, 57).