FOXQ1 is a forkhead box transcription factor located on chromosome 6.3 that functions as a sequence-specific DNA-binding regulator of gene expression 1. The gene encodes a 403-amino acid protein with two putative transcriptional activation domains and is predominantly expressed in epithelial tissues including stomach, trachea, bladder, and salivary gland 1. FOXQ1 serves as a major regulator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a critical developmental process dysregulated in cancer 2. Mechanistically, FOXQ1 promotes cancer progression by transcriptionally activating downstream targets: in pancreatic cancer, FOXQ1 upregulates LDHA to enhance aerobic glycolysis, promoting cell proliferation, stemness, invasion, and metastasis 3; in colorectal cancer, FOXQ1 regulates CCL2 production within a JAK2/STAT3/miR-506-3p/FoxQ1 regulatory axis that recruits tumor-associated macrophages 4. During pancreatic cancer development, FOXQ1 is expressed in acinar metaplastic cells that precede malignant transformation 5. Beyond cancer, FOXQ1 expression is genetically associated with lacunar stroke risk through the FOXF2-FOXQ1 locus 6, and FOXQ1 protects against sepsis-induced acute kidney injury by activating CREB5 and suppressing NF-κB signaling 7. High FOXQ1 expression constitutes an independent prognostic factor for poor survival in gastric and colorectal cancers, making it a potential therapeutic target 2.