Objective　Our　objective　was　to　explore　the　prognostic　role　of　long　noncoding　RNA　(lncRNA)　SH3PXD2A-AS1　in　esophageal　squamous　cell　carcinoma　(ESCC).　Methods　An　SH3PXD2A-AS1　expression　dataset　was　retrieved　and　analyzed　from　The　Cancer　Genome　Atlas　database,　and　SH3PXD2A-AS1　expression　was　determined　in　our　cohort　of　134　ESCC　patients　by　using　quantitative　PCR.　The　clinical　significance　of　SH3PXD2A-AS1　expression　was　investigated　by　the　Chi　square　test　and　its　prognostic　value　was　determined　by　Kaplan-Meier　survival　curve　analysis　and　Cox　proportional　hazards　analysis.　RNA　interference　andin　vitrofunctional　experiments,　including　cell　viability,　migration,　and　invasion,　were　used　to　investigate　effects　of　SH3PXD2A-AS1　on　cell　malignant　phenotype.　Results　SH3PXD2A-AS1　expression　was　increased　in　ESCC　tissues　compared　with　adjacent　normal　tissues.　A　high　level　of　SH3PXD2A-AS1　expression　was　associated　with　poor　tumor　differentiation　and　advanced　T,　N,　and　TNM　stages,　indicating　its　oncogenic　role　in　ESCC.　Moreover,　its　high　expression　predicted　poor　overall　survival　in　patients　with　ESCC.　Inhibition　of　SH3PXD2A-AS1　expression　significantly　suppressed　cell　viability,　migration,　and　invasion　of　ESCC　cells.　Conclusion　High　SH3PXD2A-AS1　expression　is　a　poor　prognostic　factor　for　patients　with　ESCC.　SH3PXD2A-AS1　might　function　as　an　oncogene　that　can　promote　malignant　biological　characteristics　of　ESCC　cells.