title: Akt as a therapeutic target in cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)/v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is central in the transmission of growth regulatory signals originating from cell surface receptors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This review discusses how mutations occur that result in elevated expression the PI3K/PTEN/Akt/mTOR pathway and lead to malignant transformation, and how effective targeting of this pathway may result in suppression of abnormal growth of cancer cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched the literature for articles which dealt with altered expression of this pathway in various cancers including: hematopoietic, melanoma, non-small cell lung, pancreatic, endometrial and ovarian, breast, prostate and hepatocellular.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PI3K/PTEN/Akt/mTOR pathway is frequently aberrantly regulated in various cancers and targeting this pathway with small molecule inhibitors and may result in novel, more effective anticancer therapies.
authors.affiliation: Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Greenville, NC 27858, USA.
authors.forename: Linda S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Steelman
authors.forename: Kristin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Stadelman
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chappell
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horn
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bäsecke
authors.forename: Melchiorre
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cervello
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nicoletti
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Libra
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stivala
authors.forename: Alberto M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Martelli
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: McCubrey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt