Study has shown that CAF-derived cardiotrophin-like cytokine factor 1 (CLCF1) can promote tumour cells to secrete more C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 6 (CXCL6) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), thus promoting the stemness of tumour cells, and in clinical samples, upregulation of the CLCF1-CXCL6/TGF-β axis was significantly associated with an increase in CSCs [60]. The gene discussed is CLCF1; the disease is neoplasm.