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New article in EMBO Mol Med: Targeting neutrophils in squamous lung Carcinoma

Tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) constitute a major fraction of the immune compartment in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and are increasingly considered as a novel therapeutic candidate. Previous work from the Meylan team demonstrated that TANs up-regulate Bcl-xL to enhance their lifespan in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) which, when targeted using a BH3 mimetic, reduces tumor growth thus characterising these TANs as pro-tumoral. Now, a new study by Abdullah Mayet from the same team shows a similar mechanism of TAN survival in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). However, unlike LUAD, Bcl-xL targeting alone was insufficient in reducing LUSC tumor growth. Interestingly, dual carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy further enhanced Bcl-xL expression in TANs. In this context, when Bcl-xL blockade was co-administered with the chemotherapy regimen, Mayet and his colleagues observed significant reduction in tumor growth, suggesting TANs play a role in chemoresistance. Overall, this study helps envision new strategies in which TANs should be considered a legitimate target within the framework of standard treatments for NSCLC.

Original article: "Bcl-xL blockade targets neutrophils and synergizes with chemotherapy in lung squamous cell carcinoma" Mayet et al
May 07th 2026 - 08:54