CXCL12 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: CXCR4 inhibition disrupts epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in ESCC by downregulating EMT-related genes, while CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling directly promotes EMT through the ERK/AKT-Twist1-MMP1/E-cadherin axis (43).