[2] Therefore, if we can show that the CRC risk conferred by these energy balance-related factors depends on genetic variation in the mTOR-PI3K-Akt pathway, which reflects core variation in the population, this provides evidence for that the mTOR-PI3K-Akt pathway is a mechanism that underlies associations between energy balance-related factors and CRC risk. Here, PIK3CA is linked to colorectal carcinoma.