Hepatocellular carcinomas represent the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The vast majority of cases arise in the context of chronic liver injury due to hepatitis B virus or hepatitis C virus infection.

BACKGROUND-The advent of targeted therapies in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has underscored the importance of pathway characterization to identify novel molecular targets for treatment. Based on its role in cell growth and differentiation, we evaluated mTOR signaling activation in human HCC, as well as the anti-tumoral effect of a dual-level blockade of the mTOR pathway.