Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which are the most abundant and active cells within the TME, promote tumor progression through the induction of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process and stemness in cancer cells through secretion of high levels of several pro-carcinogenic cytokines such as SDF-1, TGF-β1 and IL-6 [3,4]. The gene discussed is CXCL12; the disease is cancer.