KRT17: A Key Driver of Cancer Therapy Resistance and Emerging Therapeutic Target

Keratin 17 (KRT17) is overexpressed in various aggressive cancers and is linked to poor prognosis by promoting therapy resistance through mechanisms like AKT/ERK signaling and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in different cancers. It contributes to chemoresistance in bladder, breast, cervical, pancreatic, gastric, thyroid, and skin cancers, while in colorectal cancer, it enhances T-cell infiltration and improves immunotherapy response. KRT17's cancer-specific overexpression and role in resistance make it a promising diagnostic/prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target, with preclinical evidence suggesting that targeting KRT17 can reverse resistance, offering potential to overcome a major barrier in cancer treatment.