Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are ubiquitous ATP-independent chaperones that play
essential roles in response to cellular stresses and protein homeostasis. Investigations of sHSPs reveal
that sHSPs are ubiquitously expressed in numerous types of tumors, and their expression is closely
associated with cancer progression. sHSPs have been suggested to control a diverse range of cancer
functions, including tumorigenesis, cell growth, apoptosis, metastasis, and chemoresistance, as well as
regulation of cancer stem cell properties. Recent advances in the field indicate that some sHSPs have
been validated as a powerful target in cancer therapy. In this entreviewy, we present and highlight current
understanding, recent progress, and future challenges of sHSPs in cancer development and therapy.