AKT1 and cancer: Considering the low tumor response rates of currently used molecular targeted therapy (<15%) in liver cancer patients [16], and the importance of PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 signaling, ATP depletion, and oxidative stress during the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in cancer cells, co-treatment of metformin and DCA targeting mTORC1 might be an effective alternative for liver cancer patients who have failed treatment of tyrosine kinase inhibitors or who developed intra/extra-metastasis.