Two additional critical signaling pathways, the phosphorylation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) pathway and the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway, have also been identified in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and NPC (26–28). The gene discussed is AKT1; the disease is head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.