Abstract

Non-small cell lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Analysis of microRNA expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and cell line samples can be used to identify differentially expressed microRNAs. These may function as biomarkers and aid to predict response to therapy.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer and fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality in men. Forty percent of primary prostate and 100% metastatic prostate tumours have activated PI3K /AKT/mTOR signalling pathway. First generation mTOR inhibitors only inhibit mTORC1 but spare mTORC2. How would a dual mTOR inhibitor work?

New targets for new drugs: To identify tumour types with a potential to be sensitive to PI3K pathway inhibitors, which are currently in clinical trials, four compounds were screened against the Sanger cancer cell line panel. A strong correlation with sensitivity in haematological malignancies was observed, identifying potential novel disease segments amenable to PI3K pathway inhibition.