Metastasis is a common event in cancer pathology, and represents the primary cause of cancer‑associated mortality. Metastasis, which is the process in which cancer cells at the primary tumor site spread to a different location in the body and form a new tumor, is regulated by multiple factors and includes a number of steps and stages. In our previous study, it was demonstrated miR‑339‑5p inhibits cell migration and invasion in vitro and is associated with the tumor‑node‑metastasis stage and the lymph node metastasis status of non‑small cell lung cancer. In the present study, expression of miR‑339‑5p was first determined in the tissues and peripheral blood of patients with non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and in NSCLC cell lines. It was then demonstrated that miR‑339‑5p inhibits A549 and H1299 cell invasion. The underlying molecular events of miR‑339‑5p action in NSCLC were also explored. By luciferase assay and western blot analysis, B‑cell CLL/lymphoma 6 (BCL6) was verified as the direct target gene of miR‑339‑5p. miR‑339‑5p may inhibit lung cancer cell invasion and migration by regulating the epithelial‑to‑mesenchymal transition via BCL6 in vitro. It was also demonstrated that the relative expression of miR‑339‑5p in the peripheral blood is associated with cancer metastasis in patients with non‑small cell lung cancer.