Platelet‑derived growth factor receptor‑β (PDGFR‑β) in epithelial tumors is mainly expressed by stromal cells. High expression of PDGFR‑β has been related to poor prognosis in several cancers, however its significance in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unknown. The present study aimed to clarify the prognostic impact of PDGFR‑β in CRC patients. The study included 194 patients who underwent surgery for CRC. PDGFR‑β expression was examined by real‑time reverse transcription‑polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry and the expression levels were correlated with various clinical parameters. The biological significance was evaluated by knockdown experiments in CRC cell lines and the specific PDGFR inhibitor, crenolanib. PDGFR‑β mRNA and protein expression levels were positively correlated with each other. Low PDGFR‑β expression was associated with significantly better disease‑free survival after curative surgical resection, than high PDGFR‑β expression, according to univariate and multivariate analyses. The assessment of PDGFR‑β knockdown in two cell lines revealed that small interfering RNA (siRNA) inhibition resulted in statistically significant reductions in cell growth and invasion. PDGFR inhibitor suppressed CRC cell proliferation in vitro in a dose‑dependent manner. In conclusion, PDGFR‑β expression was a risk factor for recurrence in patients with CRC and PDGFR inhibitor may be a useful therapeutic agent for CRC.