A positive correlation was detected between ASPA expression and the expression of PTEN (Spearman rho = 0.38, P < 0.01 in TCGA-PRAD dataset; Spearman rho = 0.53, P < 0.01 in DKFZ Cancer Cell 2018 dataset; Spearman rho = 0.36, P < 0.01 in MSKCC Cancer Cell 2010 dataset; Additional file 1: Fig. S1e) and SPOP (Spearman rho = 0.45, P < 0.01 in TCGA-PRAD dataset; Spearman rho = 0.31, P < 0.01 in DKFZ Cancer Cell 2018 dataset; Spearman rho = 0.38, P < 0.01 in MSKCC Cancer Cell 2010 dataset; Additional file 1: Fig. S1e). Here, PTEN is linked to prostate adenocarcinoma.