Moreover, studies have shown that CAFs secrete the fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) to increase CRC cell invasion via FGFR3 signaling (Henriksson et al., 2011), as well as the stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) to promote CRC metastasis to distant organs via the C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) axis (Peng et al., 2018). Here, CXCL12 is linked to colorectal carcinoma.