Abstract:

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the most common pathological type of ovarian cancer, characterized by insidious onset, high malignancy, a propensity for recurrence, and chemoresistance, resulting in a generally poor prognosis. Cytokeratin (CK) is a core cytoskeletal protein of epithelial cells that not only participates in maintaining the structural integrity of epithelial tissues, but also serves as a specific marker for epithelial-derived tumors, playing a significant role in the pathological diagnosis, typing, and prognostic evaluation of EOC. Furthermore, recent studies have revealed that CK family members (e.g., CK19 and CK23) can influence the proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and chemoresistance of EOC cells by regulating mechanisms such as the Wnt signaling pathway and transforming growth factor-β/Smad signaling pathway, thereby promoting the initiation, progression, and drug resistance of EOC. Additionally, CK may serve as an indirect intervention target for traditional Chinese medicine compounds or active ingredients, demonstrating potential therapeutic value. This review summarized research progress on CK in the pathogenesis, clinical diagnosis, prognosis assessment, and targeted intervention of EOC, aiming to provide theoretical references for early screening, precise treatment, overcoming drug resistance, and prognostic evaluation of EOC.

Key words: Keratins, Carcinoma, ovarian epithelial, Immunohistochemistry, Early detection of cancer, Molecular targeted therapy, Cytokeratin