Targeting mTOR-dependent tumours with specific inhibitors: A model for personalized medicine based on molecular diagnoses

Abstract

Cancer cells are characterized by aberrant growth arising from deregulated signalling pathways. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway integrates multiple growth signals coming from both intracellular and extracellular cues. In this short review, we summarize what is known about the efficacy of targeting the mTOR pathway to treat cancer patients, and we explain the rationale behind promising new inhibitors that could show more potent tumour growth inhibition than did the first generation of these drugs.