Mechanistically, this was associated with reduced expression of the ABC efflux protein and inhibition of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/AKT/mTOR) pathway, a vital cellular signalling pathway that contributes to cell cycle regulation, and increased expression of which is associated with cancer progression and chemotherapy resistance. This evidence concerns the gene MTOR and cancer.