CXCL12, a ligand for CXCR4, is also abundantly produced by neighbouring stromal cells and activation of CXCR4-expressing pancreatic cancer cells by CXCL12 leads to enhanced chemotaxis, transendothelial migration, and Matrigel invasion (Marchesi et al, 2004; Matsuo et al, 2009). This evidence concerns the gene CXCL12 and familial pancreatic carcinoma.