CXCR4: A New Player in an Old Scene?

Transmembrane C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) and its ligand C-X-C motif chemokine 12 (CXCL12) came into focus in many solid cancers, allowing a more fundamental diagnostic and therapeutic approach by modulating the immune response against cancer cells. CXCR4 and CXCL12 mediate cell proliferation, migration, and metastatic outgrowth in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and are strongly associated with cancer recurrence and patient survival. Despite recent advances in molecular imaging and cancer therapy in lymphoma using CXCL12 analogues, clinical trials evaluating the diagnostic and therapeutic impact on HNSCC are missing.