Abstract: Objective This study aims to investigate circ_001988 expressions in colorectal cancer patients, and discuss its correlation with colorectal cancer clinicopathological features and prognosis. Methods qRT-PCR was performed to measure expression levels of circ_001988 in colorectal cancer tissues. The chi-square test was used to assess circ_001988 expression with respect to clinicopathological parameters. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to identify survival differences in colorectal cancer patients. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed using the Cox proportional hazard analysis. Results circ_001988 was significantly down-regulated in colorectal cancer tissues compared to normal tissue samples (P<0.001), and a low expression of circ_001988 was found to be significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (P=0.032), distant metastasis (P =0.041) and TNM stage (P=0.042). Moreover, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that high circ_001988 expression predicted significantly better overall survival (P=0.0035). In addition, Univariate Cox proportional hazards regression model analysis indicated that relative circ_001988 expression level, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and TNM stage were correlated with an overall survival rate in colorectal cancer patients. Finally, Multivariate analysis results indicated that circ_001988 was an independent prognostic factor in colorectal cancer. Conclusions Our results indicated that reduced circ_001988 expression contributed to colorectal cancer metastasis and poor prognosis. Thus, circ_001988 might serve as a promising biomarker for prognosis of colorectal cancer.