Neutrophil granulocytes influence on extracellular matrix in cancer progression

One in three persons will develop cancer in their lifetime (Siegel RL, Miller KD, Fuchs HE, Jemal A. CA Cancer J Clin 71: 7–33, 2021) and the majority of these patients will die from the spread of cancer throughout their body—a process known as metastasis. Metastasis is strongly regulated by the tumor microenvironment (TME) comprising cellular and noncellular components. In this review, we will focus on the role of neutrophils regulating the extracellular matrix (ECM), enabling ECM remodeling and cancer progression. In particular, we highlight the role of neutrophil-secreted proteases (NSP) and how these promote metastasis.