Neutrophils found to promote metastasis of triple‑negative breast cancer

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, together with collaborators, have identified a mechanism by which neutrophils—immune cells traditionally associated with infection response—facilitate the spread of triple‑negative breast cancer (TNBC) to distant organs. The findings, detailed in the latest issue of *Cancer Research*, stem from experiments in animal models and analyses of human TNBC tissue samples, marking the first comprehensive demonstration of this interaction in both settings.

The study revealed that neutrophils infiltrate primary TNBC tumors and release signaling molecules that remodel the tumor microenvironment, enhancing cancer cell mobility and survival during circulation. In mouse models, depletion of neutrophils markedly reduced metastatic lesions in the lungs and liver, while reintroduction of these cells restored the metastatic capacity of the cancer. Parallel examination of patient specimens showed a correlation between high neutrophil presence and increased incidence of distant metastases, supporting the translational relevance of the pre‑clinical data.

These results suggest that targeting neutrophil‑cancer cell interactions could represent a novel therapeutic avenue for limiting TNBC metastasis, a major cause of mortality in breast cancer patients. Further research will be needed to develop specific interventions and assess their safety and efficacy in clinical trials.