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World J Gastroenterol. Apr 21, 2014; 20(15): 4178-4188
Published online Apr 21, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i15.4178
Targeting mTOR network in colorectal cancer therapy
Xiao-Wen Wang, Yan-Jie Zhang
Xiao-Wen Wang, Yan-Jie Zhang, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, 195 Little Albany Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, United States
Yan-Jie Zhang, Department of Gastroenterology, No. 3 People’s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 201900, China
Author contributions: Wang XW and Zhang YJ designed and wrote the review; Zhang YJ took responsibility for revising the manuscript and final approval of the version to be published.
Supported by National Nature Science Foundation, No. 81270035; and International Cooperation Grant, No. 11410708100
Correspondence to: Yan-Jie Zhang, MD, PhD, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, 195 Little Albany Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, United States. zhang26@cinj.rutgers.edu
Telephone: +1-73-23970636 Fax: +1-73-22356643
Received: October 28, 2013
Revised: December 28, 2013
Accepted: January 20, 2014
Published online: April 21, 2014
Processing time: 171 Days and 4.7 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway serves as a central regulating axis that coordinates cell growth and proliferation. Single-agent mTOR inhibition therapy, however, has provided only limited therapeutic efficacy towards colorectal cancer. Blocking compensatory pathways and multiple feedback loops is considered the challenge. Combination regimens are being intensively tested in clinic. This review summarizes extensive studies describing crosstalk between mTOR pathway and major oncogenic pathways contributing to colorectal cancer development and novel combinational strategies targeting the mTOR pathway in treating colorectal cancer are also introduced.