Figure 1.

PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. This pathway is upregulated in ovarian cancer by either (i) receptors of upstream growth factors and ligand stimulation, (ii) indirect activation via cross-talk with JAK/STAT signaling, or (iii) intrinsically via activation of amplified/mutated PI3K or amplification of Akt isoform, or deletion/inactivation in tumor-suppressor protein PTEN. Afuresertib, an Akt inhibitor, is safely used in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. Most frequently studied mTOR inhibitors in completed OC phase II clinical trials are temsirolimus, ridaforolimus, and everolimus. Ruxolitinib, a JAK inhibitor, is already FDA approved for treatment of polycythemia vera.