MTOR and cancer: Among these, somatic mutations of the LKB1 gene, which encodes the major upstream kinase that activates the energy-sensing AMP-activated protein kinase pathway, and somatic copy-number alterations, such as deletion of 1p36.23 (harbouring MTOR) and 10q23.31 (harbouring PTEN), are more frequently found in male than in female cancer patients.