Esophageal　squamous　cell　carcinoma　(ESCC)　is　characterized　by　extensive　metastasis　and　poor　prognosis.　Long　noncoding　RNAs　(lncRNAs)　have　been　shown　to　play　important　roles　in　ESCC.　However,　the　specific　roles　of　lncRNAs　in　ESCC　tumorigenesis　and　metastasis　remain　largely　unknown.　Here,　we　investigate　LINC01088　in　ESCC.　Differentially　expressed　LINC01088　levels　are　screened　from　the　GEO　database.　We　find　that　LINC01088　is　expressed　at　low　level　in　collected　clinical　samples　and　is　correlated　with　vascular　tumor　emboli　and　poor　overall　survival　time　of　patients　after　surgery.　LINC01088　inhibits　not　only　ESCC　cell　migration　and　invasion　in　vitro,　but　also　tumorigenesis　and　metastasis　in　vivo.　Mechanistically,　LINC01088　directly　interacts　with　nucleophosmin　(NPM1)　and　increases　the　expression　of　NPM1　in　the　nucleoplasm　compared　to　that　in　the　nucleolar　region.　LINC01088　decreases　mutant　p53　(mut-p53)　expression　and　rescues　the　transcriptional　activity　of　p53　by　targeting　the　NPM1-HDM2-p53　axis.　LINC01088　may　also　interfere　with　the　DNA　repair　function　of　NPM1　by　affecting　its　translocation.　Our　results　highlight　the　potential　of　LINC01088　as　a　prognostic　biomarker　and　therapeutic　target　of　ESCC.