Whereas in localized disease (pN0) there were more activated M1 anti-tumor macrophages (CD68+CD163–CD206–), cell number continued to increase in early locoregional disease (pN1); the median density of cancer-promoting M2 macrophages (CD68+CD163+, CD68+CD206+, CD68+CD163+CD206+) increased steadily across stages and became the dominant macrophage type in the pN2-3 setting. Here, CD68 is linked to cancer.