Importantly, as observed in a rat mammary adenocarcinoma cell line overexpressing both receptors [167], CXCR4 and CXCR7 play opposing roles in breast cancer metastasis: CXCR4 mediates cancer cell invasion allowing cells to follow the CXCL12 gradient generated by metastatic targets whereas CXCR7 favors tumor growth increasing angiogenesis but impairs cell migration scavenging the chemokine. This evidence concerns the gene CXCR4 and cancer.