ELANE and neoplasm: Neutrophil elastase (NE) is contained in the granules of mature neutrophils and is released into the extracellular space during degranulation or netosis – a specific cell death type, which can be stimulated by cytokines and chemokines, generated by the tumor microenvironment, and is characterized by the extrusion of proteolytically active neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) (36, 37).