To review the implication of CXCR4 for gastrointestinal cancer, a "Pubmed" analysis was performed in order to evaluate the relevance of CXCR4 and its ligands for gastrointestinal cancers. Search terms applied were "cancer, malignoma, esophageal, gastric, colon, colorectal, hepatic, pancreatic, CXCR4, SDF-1alpha, and SDF-1beta". CXCR4 expression correlated with dissemination of diverse gastrointestinal malignomas. The CXCR4 ligand SDF-1alpha might act as "chemorepellent" while SDF-1beta might act as "chemorepellent" for CTLs, inducing tumor rejection. The paracrine expression of SDF-1alpha was furthermore closely associated with neoangiogenesis. CXCR4 and its ligands influence the dissemination, immune rejection, and neoangiogenesis of human gastrointestinal cancers. Inhibition of CXCR4 might be an interesting therapeutic option.