Keratin 16 is expressed in keratinocytes, which are undergoing rapid turnover in the suprabasal region (also known as hyperproliferation-related keratins). Keratin 16 is absent in normal breast tissue and in noninvasive breast carcinomas. Only 10% of the invasive breast carcinomas show diffuse or focal positivity. Reportedly, a relatively high concordance was found between the carcinomas immunostaining with the basal cell and the hyperproliferation-related keratins, but not between these markers and the proliferation marker Ki-67. This supports the conclusion that basal cells in breast cancer may show extensive proliferation, and that absence of Ki-67 staining does not mean that (tumor) cells are not proliferating.
