A recent study demonstrated that overexpression of the CXCR4 ligand, SDF-1 in gastric cells can induce myofibroblast expansion and is consistent with the role of CXCR4 in pancreatic cancer (Quante et al., 2011; Shibata et al., 2013). Here, CXCL12 is linked to familial pancreatic carcinoma.