E.coli Nissle 1917 (EcN), a probiotic, inhibited the growth of colon cancer by inactivating the expression of AKT1 and anti-apoptotic protein B-cell lymphoma-extra-large (Bcl-xL) which promote the survival of cancer cells and by activating the expression of the tumor suppressor protein phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) and pro-apoptotic protein Bcl-2-associated X (Bax), thereby inducing apoptosis, demonstrating the anti-cancer effect of the probiotic E.coli Nissle 1917 on CRC cells [74]. Here, PTEN is linked to cancer.