Objective  To investigate the effect of curcumin on proliferation, migration and invasion of renal cancer 786-O cells and its possible molecular mechanism.Methods  Human normal renal tubular epithelial cells HK-2 and renal carcinoma 786-O cells were cultured in vitro, and 786-O cells were divided into control group, low-dose curcumin group, medium-dose curcumin group, high-dose curcumin group, miR-NC group, miR-637 group, high-dose curcumin+antimiR-NC group, high-dose curcumin+anti-miR-637 group. qRT-PCR, MTT, Transwell and Western blot were used to detect the expression of miR-637, cell activity, migration and invasion ability and the expression of related proteins.Results  Compared with human normal renal tubular epithelial cells HK-2, the expression level of miR-637 in renal cancer 786-O cells was significantly decreased（P<0.05）. Curcumin or overexpression of miR-637 significantly decreased the activity, migration and invasion of renal cancer 786-O cells, decreased the expression of CyclinD1, MMP-2 and MMP-9, and increased the expression of p21（P<0.05）. Curcumin could significantly increase the expression level of miR-637（P<0.05）. Downregulation of miR-637 reversed the effects of curcumin on proliferation, migration and invasion of renal cancer 786-O cells（P<0.05）.Conclusions  Curcumin may inhibit renal cancer by up regulating miR-637.