In an attempt to define putative combined effects of CXCL12 and CXCL11 on tumor cell survival, we initially exposed the various cells to either temozolomide (A767, A772), cisplatin (A549, DLD-1) or doxorubicin (MDA-MB-231) at the indicated concentrations and determined numbers of apoptotic cells after 3 h–24 h by immunocytochemical detection of cleaved-caspase-3 (additional files 8 and 9). This evidence concerns the gene CXCL12 and neoplasm.