IL6 and cancer: This duality underscores the significance of the N1/N2 balance in cancer progression[5]. In breast cancer, the tumor microenvironment is rich in factors like transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α), which skew neutrophils toward the N2 phenotype.