It has been reported that DLX1 could influence disease development via the TGF‐β/Smad4 signalling pathway22, 23 and the TGF‐β/Smad4 signalling pathway was previously found to be associated with PCa.24, 25 Hence, there is a high possibility that DLX1 could affect the development of PCa through the TGF‐β/Smad4 signalling pathway. Here, SMAD4 is linked to posterior cortical atrophy.