The CXCR4-CXCL12 axis is pivotal for tumor cell migration and pre-metastatic niche formation in bone marrow and lymph nodes, while chemokine receptor-mediated recruitment of TAMs and MDSCs establishes an immunosuppressive microenvironment that subverts immune surveillance (Bian et al., 2019). The gene discussed is CXCL12; the disease is neoplasm.