USP18 and cancer: USP18 has been linked to cancer development, being overexpressed in lung, colon, pancreas and breast cancer, but also associated with autoimmune diseases, and neuroinflammation.15,25–27 Notably, USP18 has also been described to have a role as a resistance factor to traditional chemotherapy agents Bortezomib and Mafosfamide in tumour cells,28,29 suggesting that its inhibition may serve as a boost for such therapies.