Provided are methods for identifying and treating individuals who have
cancer, and also have immunosuppressive neutrophils. The method of treating includes administering one or more drugs that inhibit formation of immunosuppressive neutrophils.
Cancer patients can be identified, and selected for treatment, based on a positive result obtained by exposing a biological sample from the patient to normal neutrophils, and subsequently exposing the neutrophils to T cells, and measuring activation of T the cells. Reduced activation of the T cells relative to a control provides an indication that the individual has the immunosuppressive neutrophils, and is a candidate to receive the
drug. The
drug administered to the
cancer patient functions to inhibit SNARE-dependent
exocytosis, or inhibits
NADPH oxidase, or inhibits complement signaling. The method further includes administering to the individual an
immune checkpoint inhibitor, which may increase the
efficacy of the checkpoint inhibitor.