Research Progress in the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma via the PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway

Abstract

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway is one of the core pathways regulating cell proliferation, survival and metabolism, and its aberrant activation is closely associated with the malignant progression of various cancers. This pathway consists of a cascade reaction of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (AKT). In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), breast cancer and other tumors, this pathway is frequently constitutively activated due to the deletion of the PTEN tumor suppressor gene, mutation of the PIK3CA gene or overactivation of receptors, leading to malignant cell proliferation and chemoresistance. This paper reviews the research progress in the treatment of HCC targeting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, aiming to provide a reference for the basic research and clinical application of HCC therapy.