PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and targeted therapy for glioblastoma

Glioblastoma multiform (GBM) is the most common malignant glioma of all the brain tumors and currently effective treatment options are still lacking. GBM is frequently accompanied with overexpression and/or mutation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which subsequently leads to activation of many downstream signal pathways such as phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/rapamycin-sensitive mTOR-complex (mTOR) pathway. Here we explored the reason why inhibition of the pathway may serve as a compelling therapeutic target for the disease, and provided an update data of EFGR and PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors in clinical trials.