By employing transfection with antisense nucleotide for CXCR4 or blockade of CXCR4/SDF-1α axis with pharmacological inhibitor or neutralizing antibody, we concluded CXCR4 as a crucial factor for the maintenance of stemness, tumorigenesis and IR resistance in NSCLC cells13. This evidence concerns the gene CXCL12 and non-small cell lung carcinoma.