Abstract
Background: This paper reviews the mammalian Target Of Rapamycin (mTOR) pathway dysregulation in breast cancer, and the current evidence targeting this pathway directly or through activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) as an additional therapeutic opportunity for intervention in breast cancer.
Methods: Relevant articles were identified through computerised searches of Medline and Pubmed. Secondary articles were identified from the reference lists of key papers and by hand searching.
Results and conclusion: The current consensus to target the AMPK/mTOR pathway in breast cancer is based on in vitro and epidemiological evidences. A low incidence of cancer in diabetic patients on metformin has been explained in vitro by the drug's anti-proliferative effect through activation of AMPK. There is a need to explore the anticancer effects of metformin and the potential to develop the therapeutic avenues offered by targeting the AMPK/mTOR pathway. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 17 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology |
| Volume | 67 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jul 2008 |
Keywords
- cancer
- breast cancer
- mTOR
- AMPK
- TSC
- Akt
- rapamycin
- metformin
- ACTIVATED PROTEIN-KINASE
- RECEPTOR TYROSINE KINASE
- ACETYL-COA CARBOXYLASE
- FATTY-ACID SYNTHASE
- MAMMALIAN TARGET
- SKELETAL-MUSCLE
- CELL-PROLIFERATION
- RAPAMYCIN MTOR
- LIFE-STYLE
- LKB1
