STAT3 signaling in cancer: mechanisms and targeting therapeutic.

Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) plays a crucial role in tumor immunity. STAT3 promote angiogenesis, EMT, CD8+ T cell activation and exhaustion and CD4+ T cells differentiation. Simultaneously, STAT3 aberrant activation inhibits DC function. Moreover, STAT3 inducts immune evasion, making it one of the most promising targets for cancer therapy. Targeting STAT3 represents a promising potential therapeutic strategy, with several STAT3 inhibitors having advanced into clinical trials. In this review, we outline the regulatory role of STAT3 and its mediated signaling pathways in tumor immunity, summarize STAT3-based targeted therapies and combination immunotherapies.