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• CD36 is expressed by cancer cells and cancer-associated immune cells. • Lipid uptake by CD36 can both promote and inhibit cancer progression. • Thrombospondin-1 binding to CD36 can both promote and inhibit cancer progression. • Oxidized low-density lipoprotein binding promotes cancer progression. The membrane protein CD36 is a lipid transporter, scavenger receptor, and receptor for the antiangiogenic protein thrombospondin 1 (TSP1). CD36 is expressed by cancer cells and by many associated cells including various cancer-infiltrating immune cell types. Thereby, CD36 plays critical roles in cancer, and it has been reported to affect cancer growth, metastasis, angiogenesis, and drug resistance. However, these roles are partly contradictory, as CD36 has been both reported to promote and inhibit cancer progression. Moreover, the mechanisms are also partly contradictory, because CD36 has been shown to exert opposite cellular effects such as cell division, senescence and cell death. This review provides an overview of the diverse effects of CD36 on tumor progression, aiming to shed light on its diverse pro- and anti-cancer roles, and the implications for therapeutic targeting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]