PTEN and cancer: PI3K/AKT signal, the classical PTEN downstream targets, is essential for maintaining cell growth, survival, death and metabolism of many cancer types.30 Previous studies have demonstrated that PTEN holds great potential in negatively regulating the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and consequently exerting an inhibitory effect against tumors or alleviating inflammation.31 However, in the present study, we speculate that the PI3K/AKT signal pathway is not the only pathway that can be regulated by PTEN and leads to alleviation of disease.