The data demonstrated that compared with the control cells, the migration and invasion ability of shCXCR4-transfected cancer cells were inhibited (P < 0.001) and when activated by CXCL12, shCXCR4 cells still showed a less obvious increase in both invasion and migration (P < 0.001), showing the essential role of CXCR4 in IHCC cell migration and invasion, even in CXCL12 activated cancer cells. This evidence concerns the gene CXCR4 and cancer.