Moreover, circATP9B, which is also considered a protective factor in NSCLC, has been shown to promote cell apoptosis by upregulating PTEN expression in patients with ulcerative colitis.51 This finding suggests that circATP9B play a similar role in NSCLC by regulating apoptotic mechanisms, although its exact function in the context of NSCLC remains unclear. This evidence concerns the gene PTEN and ulcerative colitis.