CXCL12 expression promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma proliferation and worsens the prognosis

The chemokine CXCL12 and its corresponding receptor CXCR4 are key players in the development of several cancers. Therefore, we hypothesized that there is a functional causality between CXCL12 expression and tumor progression in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).