Enhancement in CXCR4 receptor expression has been recorded in highly aggressive cancers,20 post-chemotherapy,46 in cellular senescence as well as in physiologically aged neutrophils.17 We found that CXCR4 expression is enhanced during any stress-response which activates DDR, be it in chemotherapy, radiotherapy or in cells which undergo replicative senescence, thereby proposing a potentially universal role for this receptor in DDR. The gene discussed is CXCR4; the disease is cancer.