TARGETING PI3K/AKT/MTOR SIGNALING: A PROMISING THERAPEUTIC APPROACH FOR COLORECTAL CANCER

Zhaoxia QU, Xiaozhen PEN, Xingjun LU, Shunli LUO

Eurasian Journal of Medicine and Oncology - 2026;10(1):15-31

Department of Food Hygiene and Nutrition, College of Laboratory Medicine, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua, China

 

Colorectal cancer is characterized by high prevalence, poor clinical outcomes, and unfavorable prognosis, significantly contributing to human mortality. It is well established that phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB, also known as AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of colorectal cancer. In this review, we examine the role of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in a variety of cellular processes, including proliferation, autophagy, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transformation in colorectal cancer. Furthermore, the latest advancements in the research on PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors are discussed, offering new insights for targeted therapy in colorectal cancer.