Some studies have shown that the microenvironment, in conjunction with the signals generated by hepatocyte growth factor, osteopontin and stromal cell-derived factor 1, contributes to the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin and PI3K/AKT signalling pathways, which confer metastatic activity to tumorigenic cells and promote survival signalling in cancer stem cells [9]. The gene discussed is CXCL12; the disease is cancer.