Neutrophils are essential soldiers of the immune response and their role have long been restricted to their activities in defence against microbial infections and during the acute phase of the inflammatory response. However, increasing number of investigations showed that neutrophils are endowed with plasticity and can participate in the orchestration of both innate and adaptive immune responses. Neutrophils have an impact on a broad range of disorders, including infections, chronic inflammations, and cancer. Neutrophils are present in the tumour microenvironment and have been reported to mediate both pro-tumour and anti-tumour responses. Neutrophils can contribute to genetic instability, tumour cell proliferation, angiogenesis and suppression of the anti-tumour immune response. In contrast, neutrophils are reported to mediate anti-tumour resistance by direct killing of tumour cells or by engaging cooperative interactions with other immune cells. Here we discuss the current understandings of neutrophils biology and functions in health and diseases, with a specific focus on their role in cancer biology and their prognostic significance in human cancer.

中性粒细胞是免疫反应的重要士兵，它们的作用长期以来仅限于防御微生物感染和炎症反应急性期的活动。然而，越来越多的研究表明，中性粒细胞具有可塑性，可以参与先天性和适应性免疫反应的协调。中性粒细胞对多种疾病都有影响，包括感染、慢性炎症和癌症。中性粒细胞存在于肿瘤微环境中，据报道可介导促肿瘤和抗肿瘤反应。中性粒细胞可导致遗传不稳定、肿瘤细胞增殖、血管生成和抗肿瘤免疫反应的抑制。相比之下，据报道，嗜中性粒细胞通过直接杀死肿瘤细胞或通过与其他免疫细胞的合作相互作用来介导抗肿瘤抗性。在这里，我们讨论了当前对中性粒细胞生物学及其在健康和疾病中的功能的理解，特别关注它们在癌症生物学中的作用及其在人类癌症中的预后意义。