Fenbendazole (sometimes spelt mebendazole) is an ingredient of dog wormers and has been shown to suppress cancer cells in laboratory tests. It works by blocking the growth of microtubules, which provide structure to cells. Other drugs that target the same mechanism are already approved for use as anticancer treatments.
Some preclinical studies are examining these drugs and others in the same class as potential cancer treatments, but they haven’t been tested in humans. Full Fact says there’s insufficient evidence they could cure advanced lung cancer.
Antihelminthic
A drug used to treat parasitic worms in animals may be an effective cancer treatment, according to a new study. Researchers from Panjab University and the National Centre for Human Genome Studies and Research found that fenbendazole, a broad-spectrum antiparasitic drug, inhibits cancer cell growth in vitro and in mice. The drug has been shown to cause multiple cellular effects, including moderate microtubule disruption and p53 stabilization, and it interferes with glucose uptake. The team believes that this general class of compounds merits further investigation.
The results of this study were published in Scientific Reports. The researchers used a mouse model of EMT6 tumors to test the effectiveness of fenbendazole as an anticancer agent. They administered the drug to a group of mice and measured tumor volume three times per week. They also compared the growth of untreated and irradiated tumors in mice treated with fenbendazole. The scientists found that the drug significantly reduced tumor growth in irradiated mice.
Despite these findings, the researchers don’t claim that fenbendazole cures cancer. A specialist cancer information nurse at Cancer Research UK told Full Fact that the drug has not been tested in humans. It also hasn’t been shown to work as well as other drugs that target the same mechanism, such as paclitaxel and vincristine. These drugs have been proven to be effective in clinical trials.
Antiproliferative
Fenbendazole works by interfering with the formation of microtubules, a protein scaffolding that gives cells their shape and structure. Textbook depictions of cells often show cellular components floating in amorphous bags of liquid. These structures, called cytoskeletons, are actually made of long tubulin proteins, which form and reassemble to meet cell needs. They include the mitotic spindle, which separates chromosomes evenly during cell division (mitosis). Drugs that interfere with the formation of these proteins block important cellular functions and inhibit tumor growth.
According to researchers, fenbendazole blocks the formation of microtubules and other cell structures that promote cancer growth. In addition, it increases the expression of necroptosis-related proteins in colorectal cancer cells, leading to their death. Several studies have shown that fenbendazole can also induce oxidative stress and inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells.
Although Tippens’ claim has been disproven, many people are still using fenbendazole as an alternative cancer treatment. As a result, the FDA has issued a public warning against the use of unapproved drugs for the purpose of treating cancer. It has also urged doctors to educate patients about medical misinformation and the dangers of self-administering medications without prescription. The warning applies to both fenbendazole and other antiparasitic medications, such as albendazole and mebendazole. These drugs may not be effective for treating advanced cancers, and they can interfere with conventional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Apoptosis
Researchers have discovered that fenbendazole, which is used in veterinary medicine to treat parasitic worms in animals, can also kill cancer cells. This broad-spectrum antiparasitic drug inhibits the formation of microtubules, a protein scaffold that gives shape and structure to cells. It also prevents glucose uptake, which is a common energy source for cancer cells. This drug is a promising candidate for future studies on its potential as an anticancer agent.
Several preclinical studies have shown that fenbendazole can slow the growth of cancer in cell cultures and animal models. However, there is no sufficient evidence from randomized clinical trials to show that the drug can cure cancer in humans. In addition, fenbendazole can cause liver damage in some people, according to research published in 2017.
One of the reasons that this drug may be effective against cancer is its ability to block glucose uptake in cancer cells. This is accomplished by inhibiting the formation of a complex that controls the transport of glucose into mitochondria. In addition, fenbendazole acts by inhibiting the polymerization of tubulin, which is a component of microtubules.
In another experiment, researchers examined the effect of fenbendazole on irradiated EMT6 tumors. The tumors were given three injections of fenbendazole a day and the time it took them to grow to four times their initial volume was recorded. The results showed that fenbendazole did not affect tumor growth in either the unirradiated or irradiated groups.
Glucose uptake
A new study shows that fenbendazole, a drug commonly used to treat parasites and worms in animals, may also have cancer-fighting properties. It blocks the growth of tumors in cell culture and inhibits glucose uptake, causing cancer cells to die off. The research was published in the journal Scientific Reports and was funded by a grant from the National Cancer Institute.
Despite this, the nonprofit organization Cancer Research UK told Full Fact that there is no evidence that fenbendazole can cure cancer. It is not an FDA-approved drug for treating cancer, and it hasn’t been tested in randomized clinical trials. In addition, fenbendazole’s mechanism of action doesn’t seem to be unique, as there are already drugs on the market that work in a similar way.
TikTok and Facebook users have shared videos of a man named Joe Tippens who says that he cured his lung cancer by taking fenbendazole. But it’s important to remember that Jones’s anecdotal case isn’t representative of the entire population. His experience could have been due to other factors, such as his immunotherapy treatments. In addition, he might have taken a very high dose of fenbendazole. This is why more research is needed to establish whether the drug can truly cure cancer. The underlying mechanism of fenbendazole’s antitumor activity is complex, and requires further study. fenbendazole for humans cancer