Objective To investigate the role of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α （PPARα） in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. Method The literatures about PPARα and the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer were reviewed and analyzed. Result The relationships of PPARα to the proliferation， apoptosis， and differentiation of colorectal cancer cells in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer were controversial. Conclusions PPARα might be involved in the regulation of proliferation， differentiation， apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells， but the pathogenesis and the up- and down-stream signal pathways are not elucidated. In additional， PPARα might partly be involved in the mechanism of drug resistance of chemotherapy drugs for colorectal cancer， but the role is not very clear yet. So more research works need to be done about the relationship of PPARα to pathogenesis of colorectal cancer.