AKT1 and melanoma: On a molecular and genetic level, a number of factors influencing primary melanoma growth and metastasis have been identified, including signaling via the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and Wnt/β-catenin pathways, as well as BRAF mutations which activate signaling through the Ras/Raf/MAP-ERK kinase (MEK)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (/MAPK) pathway [6-9].