Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 11, 2026

Testing Targeted Therapies in Cancer using Structural DNA Alteration Analysis and Patient-Derived Xenografts
10:27

Testing Targeted Therapies in Cancer using Structural DNA Alteration Analysis and Patient-Derived Xenografts

Published on: July 25, 2020

7.8K

AKT as a Therapeutic Target in Cancer

Khine N Myint1, Igor Vivanco2

  • 1Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London, UK.

Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology
|November 18, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Aberrant activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway is common in cancer. While AKT inhibitors like capivasertib show promise, especially for specific mutations or combination therapies, challenges remain in translating this to broad clinical benefit.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Aberrant activation of the Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase (PI3K) pathway is a frequent oncogenic event in human cancers.
  • AKT, a crucial mediator of PI3K's oncogenic function, has been a significant therapeutic target.
  • Despite frequent AKT activation, clinical outcomes with AKT inhibitors were historically disappointing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the evidence supporting AKT dependence in human tumors.
  • To discuss the influence of genetic and cellular context on AKT dependence.
  • To explore challenges in translating AKT inhibition into effective cancer therapies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on PI3K/AKT pathway activation in cancer.
  • Analysis of clinical trial data for AKT inhibitors.
  • Examination of preclinical models investigating AKT dependence.

Main Results:

  • The approval of capivasertib for breast cancer validates AKT inhibitors' therapeutic potential.
  • AKT inhibitors may offer benefit as monotherapy in rare AKT-E17K mutations.
  • Combination therapies hold promise for broader patient populations.

Conclusions:

  • AKT remains a relevant therapeutic target, with recent approvals highlighting its potential.
  • Understanding tumor context is critical for effective AKT-targeted therapy.
  • Overcoming challenges in AKT inhibition translation is key for future clinical success.

More Related Videos

A Flow Cytometry-Based Cell Surface Protein Binding Assay for Assessing Selectivity and Specificity of an Anticancer Aptamer10:46

A Flow Cytometry-Based Cell Surface Protein Binding Assay for Assessing Selectivity and Specificity of an Anticancer Aptamer

Published on: September 13, 2022

4.3K
Defining Gene Functions in Tumorigenesis by Ex vivo Ablation of Floxed Alleles in Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Cells09:37

Defining Gene Functions in Tumorigenesis by Ex vivo Ablation of Floxed Alleles in Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Cells

Published on: August 25, 2021

2.1K

Related Concept Videos

Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted 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...
8.6K
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine02:50

Combination 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...
5.9K
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens 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...
7.7K
Tumor Immunotherapy01:27

Tumor Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
1.7K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR 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...
4.6K
Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors01:27

Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors

Enzyme-linked receptors are cell-surface receptors acting as an enzyme or associating with an enzyme intracellularly. They make excellent drug targets. Drugs can bind to the extracellular ligand-binding domain or directly affect their enzymatic domain and alter their activity.
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
3.8K