CXCL12 and breast cancer: In this environment, the stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF1, also known as CXCL12)/the C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) axis as well as the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-MET axis play a role in promoting tumor progression and metastasis, as demonstrated in ex vivo cell experiments and in vivo mouse models of breast cancer [12–14].