Could the PI3K canonical pathway be a common link between chronic inflammatory conditions and oral carcinogenesis?

The association between chronic inflammatory disorders and oral carcinogenesis has been both a source of interest and contention. Based upon its central importance in oral carcinogenesis, the finding that the PI3k/Akt/mTOR pathway is activated in oral lichen planus, chronic graft-versus-host disease, and chronic oral candidiasis suggests that it may provide a link between benign and malignant oral conditions. Here, we discuss a possible mechanistic rationale that addresses the activation of this important signaling pathway and its downstream events, while correlating it with the carcinogenic potential of chronic oral disorders.