Inactivation of AFAP1-AS1 in GC cell lines was shown to suppress cell proliferation and invasion in vitro and to induce apoptosis by decreasing the BCL-2 level and increasing the levels of PARP (poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase), caspase 3, caspase 9, PTEN, and BAX. Here, PTEN is linked to gastric cancer.