AKT1 and neoplasm: Due to the effects of copper chelators on AKT signaling which is involved in non-canonical TGF-β signaling, their documented effects on tumor microenvironment remodeling and their inhibition of metastasis through collagen remodeling, which often is a result of TGF-β signaling, we hypothesized that copper chelators may be able to inhibit TGF-β signaling.