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REVIEW article

Front. Immunol.
Sec. Cancer Immunity and Immunotherapy
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1538635

Neutrophils in Colorectal Cancer: Mechanisms, Prognostic Value, and Therapeutic Implications

Provisionally accepted
Xingyue Wang Xingyue Wang Shukang He Shukang He Xiangmei Gong Xiangmei Gong Shijun Lei Shijun Lei Qianwen Zhang Qianwen Zhang Junqi Xiong Junqi Xiong Yang Liu Yang Liu *
  • Department of Clinical Laboratory, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Neutrophils, the most abundant myeloid cells in human peripheral blood, serve as the first defense line against infection and are also significantly involved in the initiation and progression of cancer. In colorectal cancer (CRC), neutrophils exhibit a dual function by promoting tumor events and exerting antitumor activity, which is related to the heterogeneity of neutrophils. The neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), gut microbiota, and various cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) are involved in shaping the heterogeneous function of neutrophils. This article provides an updated overview of the complex functions and underlying mechanisms of neutrophils in CRC and their pivotal role in guiding prognosis assessment and therapeutic strategies, aiming to offer novel insights into neutrophil-associated treatment approaches for CRC.

    Keywords: Neutrophils, colorectal cancer, Gut Microbiota, Tumor Microenvironment, prognosis

    Received: 03 Dec 2024; Accepted: 04 Feb 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Wang, He, Gong, Lei, Zhang, Xiong and Liu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Yang Liu, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.