Under hypoxic conditions, the combined inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway with paclitaxel markedly reduced the proliferative activity and induced cell apoptosis in GC cells compared with the single treatment of PI3K inhibitor or paclitaxel (each P<0.01), and was accompanied by a decreased expression of HIF-1α. The gene discussed is AKT1; the disease is gastric cancer.