title: PI3K pathway alterations in cancer: variations on a theme.
abstract: The high frequency of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway alterations in cancer has led to a surge in the development of PI3K inhibitors. Many of these targeted therapies are currently in clinical trials and show great promise for the treatment of PI3K-addicted tumors. These recent developments call for a re-evaluation of the oncogenic mechanisms behind PI3K pathway alterations. This pathway is unique in that every major node is frequently mutated or amplified in a wide variety of solid tumors. Receptor tyrosine kinases upstream of PI3K, the p110 alpha catalytic subunit of PI3K, the downstream kinase, AKT, and the negative regulator, PTEN, are all frequently altered in cancer. In this review, we will examine the oncogenic properties of these genetic alterations to understand whether they are redundant or distinct and propose treatment strategies tailored for these genetic lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School and Division of Signal Transduction, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 2115, USA.
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Cantley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018734:Genes, erbB-2 / Q000502:physiology; D011905:Genes, ras / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation / Q000502:physiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D014157:Transcription Factors; C503859:PI3KCA protein, human; C494929:PTEN protein, human
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