Investigations have shown the critical function of CXCR4 in these processes, with Jäger et al. reporting that CXCR4-overexpressing NSCLC cells exhibit increased tumorsphere formation and EMT, partially mediated by macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and IL-6 signaling, which drive tumor progression and enhance stromal support (Jäger et al., 2020). This evidence concerns the gene MIF and non-small cell lung carcinoma.