MAPK1 and cancer: Erk1/Erk2, members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, and Akt/mTOR, are important regulators of cell survival, proliferation and cell death and are involved in a wide range of disorders including cancer, vascular diseases, Alzheimer’s disease among others (Altomare and Testa, 2005; Mebratu and Tesfaigzi, 2009; Roberts and Der, 2007).