PIK3CA and cancer: Under physiological conditions, the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway is activated by the actions of insulin, growth factors and cytokines to regulate metabolism in organisms.147 In cancer cells, the activation of oncogenes in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway reprograms cellular metabolism by enhancing the activities of nutrient transporters and metabolic enzymes, thus supporting the anabolic needs of abnormally growing cells.147