The KEGG pathway analysis showed that these DEGs-formed hub genes were enriched in the pathways related to the PI3K-Akt signaling and pathways in cancer (Fig. 3A), both of which are positively associated with ovarian cancer development (Kurose et al., 2001; Li, Zeng & Shen, 2014; Rossig et al., 2001). This evidence concerns the gene AKT1 and ovarian cancer.