According to an early on-line article published in the journal Cancer, strong expression of the protein cytokeratin 20 in pancreatic cancer is associated with significantly worse survival than low levels or no expression of cytokeratin 20. Patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer who have a strong cytokeratin 20 expression may wish to undergo more aggressive therapy or participate in a clinical trial to improve their outcomes.
Researchers from Harvard Medical School recently conducted a study to evaluate a possible association between levels of cytokeratin 20 in cancer specimens and outcomes among patients with pancreatic cancer. Cytokeratin 20 is a type of protein that is involved in cellular replication. The researchers also included several other variables in their evaluation. They found that cytokeratin 20 is highly associated with duration of survival in patients with this disease.
Patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer may wish to speak with their physician regarding the risks and benefits of participating in a clinical trial further evaluating the clinical value of cytoerkatin 20 or other markers that may lead to more individualized therapy.