Esophageal　cancer　is　one　of　the　leading　malignancies　globally　and　long　non-coding　RNAs　(IncRNAs)　have　been　proved　to　have　an　important　role　in　different　malignancies　including　esophageal　cancer.　However　their　role　in　disease　progression　is　still　not　clear.　The　objective　of　the　study　was　to　investigate　the　expression　and　role　of　LINC01234　in　progression　of　esophageal　cancer　cells.　LncRNA　LINC01234　was　found　to　be　upregulated　in　esophageal　cancer　cells　by　chip　sequencing.　The　expression　level　of　LINC01234　was　detected　from　different　esophageal　cancer　cell　lines　by　qRT-PCR.　After　this,　the　LINC01234　knockdown　effects　on　cell　proliferation,　migration,　invasion,　and　apoptosis　were　evaluated　by　cell　proliferation　assay,　wound　healing　assay,　invasion　assay,　and　flow　cytometric　analysis　in　vitro.　Expression　of　IncRNA　LINC01234　was　found　to　be　markedly　upregulated　in　the　CEC2　cell　line.　Furthermore,　cell　proliferation,　migration　and　invasion　were　significantly　(P　＜　0.05)　suppressed　as　compared　to　negative　control　while　apoptotic　rate　was　also　found　increased　as　a　result　of　the　knockdown　of　LINC01234.　Significantly　upregulated　expression　of　LINC01234　in　CEC2　cells　and　downregulated　expression　after　knockdown　is　observed.　The　impact　of　LINC01234　knockdown　on　cell　migration,　invasion,　proliferation　and　apoptosis　indicated　that　LINC01234　may　represent　a　new　marker　and　a　potential　therapeutic　target　for　esophageal　cancer.