In intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, activated hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) promote tumor fibrogenesis, tumor progression and distant metastasis by mediating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) via the Ang II/AGTR1 and CXCR4/SDF-1α axes [34]. Here, CXCL12 is linked to neoplasm.