The RT‐qPCR and Western blot indicated that knockdown of hsa_circ_0012563 could promote expression of XRCC1, E‐cadherin and inhibit N‐cadherin expression, and downregulation of XRCC1 restores E‐cadherin and N‐cadherin expression of transfected si‐hsa_circ_0012563 TE‐1 cell (Figure 4C and D), suggested that hsa_circ_0012563 activated EMT pathway by inhibiting XRCC1 expression in ESCC cell. The gene discussed is XRCC1; the disease is esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.