Phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR was correlated to the expression of ALK, suggesting an activated ALK/AKT/mTOR pathway in ALK + ALCL; and this activation pathway was further confirmed by overexpression of NPM-ALK in the nonmalignant murine pro-B lymphoid cell line, BaF3. This evidence concerns the gene AKT1 and anaplastic large cell lymphoma.