AKT1 and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: In ESCC, EGFR increases the phosphorylation levels of ERK, AKT, and PI3K, and enhances ESCC cell proliferation, metastasis, and EMT by activating the PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK signaling pathways; EGFR expression is negatively regulated by miR-133b (20).