Cathepsins as an important pharmacological target for multiple cancer types

Cathepsins (CTS), a cysteine protease family member, are crucial to several important cellular activities. This participates in intricate proteolytic processes, which makes it challenging to analyze their consequences on cancer. However, there is a wealth of information on the contribution of various family members to various cancer subtypes. CTS promote the disease's progression and migration and the invasiveness of certain tumor types. They are included as both cancer susceptibility biomarkers and therapeutic targets. This suggests that there may be a connection between the aberrations in their activity and expression patterns and the characteristics of cancer. This chapter illustrates the undeniable impact of CTS on several cancer-related pathways. They should thus be acknowledged as important participants in the battle against cancer and as powerful targets for further research.