Tumor development is closely related to the aberrant post-transcriptional regulation mediated by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), which play a key role in tumor progression by regulating mRNA splicing, stability, and translation. This review systematically investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying the abnormal expression or dysfunction of RBPs during tumor development, the molecular basis of RBPs in promoting tumor progression through regulating tumor-associated signalling pathways, and the roles of RBPs in malignant transformation and therapeutic resistance, aiming to provide an important theoretical basis for developing anti-tumor therapies targeting RBPs.