Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026
10:27
Testing Targeted Therapies in Cancer using Structural DNA Alteration Analysis and Patient-Derived Xenografts
Published on: July 25, 2020
Targeting Akt in cancer therapy
Jaclyn LoPiccolo1, Courtney A Granville, Joell J Gills
1Medical Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Anti-Cancer Drugs
|August 2, 2007
Summary
Targeting the Akt pathway, crucial for cancer cell survival and treatment resistance, offers a promising therapeutic strategy. Inhibiting Akt may improve cancer treatment outcomes, despite complex pathway regulation challenges.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Therapeutics
Background:
- The phosphoinositide 3'-kinase/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) pathway is frequently activated in cancers, promoting cell survival and treatment resistance.
- Activation of Akt, a key kinase in this pathway, can result from PTEN loss, PI3K/Akt amplification, or growth factor receptor activation.
- Akt activation is a recognized poor prognostic indicator across various cancer types.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current therapeutic strategies targeting the Akt signaling pathway for cancer treatment.
- To discuss the challenges and considerations for clinical trials involving Akt inhibitors.
Main Methods:
- Review of published literature on Akt inhibition approaches.
- Analysis of data concerning Akt pathway regulation and its clinical implications.
Main Results:
- Akt is a validated therapeutic target due to its role in cancer cell survival and resistance.
- Various methods are being investigated to inhibit Akt activity.
Conclusions:
- Inhibiting the Akt pathway holds significant therapeutic potential in oncology.
- Complexities in PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway regulation present challenges for clinical trial design, toxicity management, and achieving a therapeutic index.
Related Concept Videos
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
03:03mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
The mTOR pathway or the...
03:03mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
The mTOR pathway or the...
02:38Mitogens and the Cell Cycle
Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
02:50Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...