Increased phosphorylation of EGFR and downstream components such as Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and extracellular signal regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2: classical mitogen-activated protein kinase1/2) was observed in tumors vs. surrounding stroma Figures 2D to 2H), suggesting that ear tumor development was dependent upon activation of EGFR and downstream pathways, and that EGFR inhibitors might be beneficial for ear tumor treatment. This evidence concerns the gene AKT1 and ear neoplasm.