CXCL12 and cancer: In a previous meta-analysis (six studies, 109 patients) addressing the prognostic value of CXCL12 expression in several subtypes of cancer including CRC, there was no statistically significant association with either RFS (HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.46–1.49, p = 0.48, seven cohorts, n = 1,446) or OS (HR 1.27, 95% CI 0.64–2.51, p = 0.49) (51).