STAT3 and colorectal carcinoma: Given that p38 MAPK and STAT3 pathways are activated by inflammation, and are prominent stress responsive pathways that regulate tumor cell survival and proliferation and have been identified as the important contributor to CRC development 38, we further detected whether α-hederin inhibited AOM/DSS-induced the formation and growth of CRC through p38 MAPK/STAT3 signaling.