Therefore, a correlation between the molecular basis of FDG uptake and these hypoxic markers was indicated; this concurs with the study by Kaira et al, which reported significant associations between FDG activity and the expression of Glut1, HIF-1α, hexokinase I, vascular endothelial growth factor, cluster of differentiation 34, Ki-67, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and p53 in malignant pleural mesothelioma. Here, MTOR is linked to malignant pleural mesothelioma.