Cathepsin B: The dawn of tumor therapy

Cathepsin B (CTSB) is a key lysosomal protease that plays a crucial role in the development of cancer. This article elucidates the relationship between CTSB and cancer from the perspectives of its structure, function, and role in tumor growth, migration, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis and autophagy. Further, we summarized the research progress of cancer treatment related drugs targeting CTSB, as well as the potential and advantages of Traditional Chinese medicine in treating tumors by regulating the expression of CTSB.