Mucin-16 (also known as CA125) belongs to the mucin family. They are high molecular weight proteins that are components of mucus and are synthesised and secreted by specialised cells of the epithelium (goblet cells, cells of mucous glands) or non mucin-secreting cells []. Mucin-16 is over-expressed in human epithelial tumors including ovarian, breast and digestive tract carcinomas [, ]. Its expression is an independent predictor of poor outcome in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas and probably in esophageal adenocarcinomas and gastric adenocarcinomas, being proposed to be used as a prognostic marker and a therapeutic target []. It interacts with Src family kinases (SFKs) and this may affect cell-cell adhesion of epithelial cancer cells [].
