These mechanisms include phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) and Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) pathways, deactivation of pro-apoptotic signals, cancer stem cells, epithelial–mesenchymal transition and hypoxia-inducible response [13, 14]. The gene discussed is AKT1; the disease is cancer.