CXCL12 and cancer: The niche-derived molecules regulating cancer cell dormancy include a chemokine stromal cell-derived factor 1 [SDF-1, also known as C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12)] that binds to its receptor C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) on cancer cells and anchors the cancer cells in the niche (26).