DANCR upregulation was seen in lung cancer, particularly in high-grade lung cancer tissues and aggressive cancer cells. Ectopic DANCR expression induced lung cancer cell proliferation and colony formation, whereas DANCR silencing induced opposing effects. The miR-216a level in cancer cells was negatively correlated with DANCR expression. The DANCR knockdown reduced the growth of tumor xenografts in vivo. DANCR upregulation is a potential indicator of aggressive lung cancer. Silencing of DANCR has great potential as a potent therapeutic strategy in lung cancer.higher DANCR is linked to cases with lung cancer having higher clinical grade and poorer survival.