There are still many unanswered questions about the roles of neutrophils, other immune cells, and other actors in the tumor microenvironment in both promoting and suppressing the growth or spread of tumors, Dr. Kaplan cautioned.
For example, although the finding that NETs might promote metastasis is “quite novel,” she continued, it’s consistent with findings from other studies that have implicated other compounds excreted by cells in the metastatic process, including long non-coding RNAs and small sacs called exosomes.
To complicate things further, Dr. Egeblad stressed, the available research strongly suggests that neutrophils or macrophages or other factors could aid tumor development in some situations and hinder it in others.
“It’s very likely that there is a fine balance” between when an immune cell fuels cancer development or inhibits it, she continued—a balance that is influenced by many different factors that researchers are just beginning to understand.
Read more: https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2016/nets-metastasis?cid=eb_govdel