MicroRNA-126　(miR-126)　has　previously　been　reported　to　be　downregulated　in　various　types　of　cancer;　however,　at　present,　there　are　no　studies　of　miR-126　in　human　thyroid　cancer.　The　present　study　aimed　to　determine　the　expression　and　effects　of　miR-126　on　thyroid　cancer.　The　expression　levels　of　miR-126　were　detected　in　human　thyroid　cancer　tissues,　matched　normal　adjacent　tissues　and　human　thyroid　cancer　cell　lines　using　quantitative　polymerase　chain　reaction.　In　addition,　post-transfection　of　human　thyroid　cancer　cells　with　miR-126　mimics,　cell　proliferation,　migration　and　invasion　assays,　western　blot　analysis　and　luciferase　assays　were　conducted.　The　results　demonstrated　that　miR-126　was　downregulated　in　thyroid　cancer　tissues　and　cells.　Furthermore,　upregulation　of　miR-126　inhibited　cell　proliferation,　migration　and　invasion　in　thyroid　cancer　cells.　The　present　study　also　provided　evidence　suggesting　that　miR-126　may　directly　target　C-X-C　chemokine　receptor　type　4　(CXCR4)　in　thyroid　cancer.　These　results　indicated　that　miR-126　may　be　investigated　as　a　target　for　the　treatment　of　thyroid　cancer.