# Neutrophils in non-small cell lung cancer and immunotherapy with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how neutrophils in lung cancer influence cancer progression and response to immunotherapy.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive summary of tumor-associated neutrophils' roles in NSCLC and PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy.

## Key findings

- Tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) can have either protumorigenic or antitumorigenic roles.
- TANs influence the effectiveness of PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer.
- The tumor microenvironment shapes the biological functions of TANs.

## Abstract

Neutrophils, which represent about 50–70% of circulating leukocytes in humans, have been viewed as short-lived effector cells of the innate immune system with a primary role in the clearance of pathogens and taking part in inflammatory processes. More recent evidence shows that neutrophils make up a significant portion of the inflammatory cell infiltration in many types of cancer, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) can be divided into protumorigenic and antitumorigenic phenotypes. The biological features and functions of these TANs are under the influence of the tumor microenvironment. TANs also play a role in determining the responsiveness of NSCLC to immunotherapies targeting the programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) axis. This review aimed to summarize recent findings regarding the role of TANs in NSCLC progression and PD-1/PD-L1 targeted immunotherapy.