Background: Cytokeratin (low molecular weight) can mark almost all non-squamous epithelium, especially all kinds of single-layer tubular glandular epithelium. It is not expressed in squamous epithelium. CK-LMW can specifically label tumors arising from non-squamous epithelium. Ovarian adenocarcinoma, gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma, thyroid carcinoma and the vast majority of ductal carcinomas were marked. In particular, it showed significant positive markers for epithelial tumors of the breast, pancreas, bile duct and salivary gland, tumors of endocrine organs (carcinoma and adenoma), liver cancer, endometrial cancer, renal cancer and neuroendocrine tumors. Bladder transitional cell carcinoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, thymoma and mesothelioma also showed positive reaction. The vast majority of squamous cell carcinomas were negative.