The oncogenic function of CXCR4 exhibits tissue-specific regulation: while DUXAP8 lncRNA upregulates CXCR4 via miR-223 sequestration in papillary thyroid carcinoma (Liu et al., 2021), miR-1246-mediated CXCR4 suppression attenuates proliferative and migratory capacities in renal cell carcinoma (Liu and Fan, 2020). Here, CXCR4 is linked to thyroid gland papillary carcinoma.