Tumor metastasis is a prominent cause of treatment failure in cervical carcinoma. Phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) is an active component extracted from cruciferous plants that has exhibited anticancer activity in various types of human cancer; however, its effect on the inhibition of metastasis remains unclear. The current study aimed to explore the effect of PEITC on the suppression of metastasis in HeLa cervical carcinoma cells. Multiple variables were assessed with different methods as follows: Cell viability, with a Vi‑CELL analyzer; cell adhesion, by MTS assay; cell invasion, by Transwell assay; cell cycle, by flow cytometry assay; cytokine concentration, by ELISA assay; metastasis‑related gene and protein expression, by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting; and transcription factor activity, by gene reporter assay. The results indicated that PEITC exhibited an inhibitory effect on the adhesion and invasion of HeLa cells by induction of G2/M phase arrest, it reduced the expression of CDK1, MMP‑2/9, CD44, ICAM‑1, increased the production of TGF‑β, IL‑6 and IL‑8, and increased the phosphorylation of Smad2. These results suggest that PEITC may be a potential antitumor compound, acting through the TGF‑β/Smad2 pathway; and it has the potential for future use as a therapy for cervical carcinoma subsequent to further studies.