Mutation of the PIK3CA oncogene in human cancers

• Published in: British journal of cancer Vol. 94; no. 4; pp. 455 - 459
• Main Authors: KARAKAS, B, BACHMAN, K. E, PARK, B. H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basingstoke Nature Publishing Group 27.02.2006
• Subjects: Apoptosis; Biological and medical sciences; Brain research; Cancer research; Cell cycle; Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; Genes; Humans; Kinases; Medical research; Medical sciences; Minireview; Motility; Mutation; Neoplasms - diagnosis; Neoplasms - genetics; Neoplasms - therapy; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases - genetics; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases - metabolism; Signal Transduction; Tumors; United States > US; Baltimore Maryland; Human; Enzyme; Transferases; Malignant tumor; 1-Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; Somatic mutation; somatic mutations; Cancerology; PI3K; PIK3CA; Genetics; Onc gene; pII0α
• ISSN: 0007-0920; 1532-1827
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6602970

It is now well established that cancer is a genetic disease and that somatic mutations of oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes are the initiators of the carcinogenic process. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signalling pathway has previously been implicated in tumorigenesis, and evidence over the past year suggests a pivotal role for the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit, PIK3CA, in human cancers. In this review, we analyse recent reports describing PIK3CA mutations in a variety of human malignancies, and discuss their possible implications for diagnosis and therapy.