High concentrations of AREG in malignant ascites of GC patients also have been found to play an important role in the development of peritoneal carcinomatosis via interactions with CXCL12/CXCR4, suggesting that the AREG/CXCL12/CXCR4 axis could be a potential therapeutic target for peritoneal carcinomatosis of GC [31]. The gene discussed is AREG; the disease is gastric cancer.