All HCC cell lines showed a constitutive activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway as demonstrated by phosphorylation of AKT (S473 and T308), mTOR (S2448), representing mTORC1 activity[28], and pS6 (S240/S244) which is a downstream substrate of mTORC1 and S6-kinase (Figure 1A). Here, PIK3CA is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.