A previous study utilising mass spectrometry-based proteomics has shown phenotypic similarities between PBMCs and the TME of matching breast cancer tissues [100], whereby the expression profiles of IL-17, PI3K-Akt, and components of HIF-1 signalling pathways were found to be conserved between circulating and tumour infiltrating immune cells. This evidence concerns the gene AKT1 and breast carcinoma.