ASCL2 and malignant colon neoplasm: It has also been reported that ASCL2 is highly expressed in mismatch repair-sufficient or microsatellite-stabilised colon cancers and can maintain the stemness of colon cancer tumour cells and activate cancer-associated fibroblasts through the activity of transcription factors, thereby inducing an immune-rejecting microenvironment to inhibit the infiltration of immune cells [20].