The E3 ubiquitin ligase RAD18 has been identified as an oncoprotein that exhibits prometastatic properties in various types of cancer; however, the role of RAD18 in cervical cancer (CC) remains unclear. In the present study, it was revealed that increased expression of RAD18 was associated with worse prognosis of patients with CC. Knockdown of endogenous RAD18 suppressed the motility and invasiveness of CC cells, as evaluated by Transwell assays. mRNA sequencing revealed that silencing RAD18 altered the expression profile of proinflammatory mediators, such as interleukin‑1β (IL‑1β). Furthermore, exogenous IL‑1β treatment rescued RAD18‑mediated CC cell invasion. These findings indicated an underlying mechanism via which RAD18 promotes CC progression, suggesting that RAD18 may be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for malignant CC.