In these contexts, we expected that SDF-1α expression might be associated with nuclear CXCR4 expression in CRC cells, and therefore investigated the CXCR4 expression pattern in CRC cells that had metastasised to LNs, as SDF-1α is abundantly produced and furthermore, most MTLNs showed strong SDF-1α expression there. Here, CXCL12 is linked to colorectal carcinoma.