Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is a class of non-coding RNA molecules with a length of more than 200nt, which has been reported to play an important role in the occurrence and development of malignant tumors. In recent years, a number of studies have found that long non-coding RNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 20 (SNHG20) is highly expressed in a variety of carcinomas such as lung cancer, liver cancer and gastric cancer, promoting the proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT process of tumor cells, and inhibiting their apoptosis, it affects cell cycle progression and is associated with poorer prognosis of patients. As a recognized oncogene, lncRNA SNHG20 is a potential therapeutic target for malignant tumors and a biomarker for evaluating prognosis. In this article, we summarize relevant research reports around the world, and review the research progress of lncRNA SNHG20 in cancer.