Fenbendazole is an antiparasitic drug used to treat gastrointestinal parasites (pinworms, giardia, roundworms, hookworms and Taenia solium). It has also been reported to be effective against certain cancers including colorectal cancer. It is believed that fenbendazole works by inhibiting the polymerization of tubulin, one of the components of microtubules, which are important structures that give shape and support to cells. Tubulin polymerization is essential to cellular processes, such as cell division. Drugs that interfere with the function of microtubules can cause cell death and inhibit tumor growth. Other drugs that inhibit microtubule activity are cytotoxic anticancer agents, such as vinca alkaloids and taxanes.
Joe Tippens, the founder of the protocol, claims that he was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer and received a “miraculous” recovery after starting on his treatment plan in 2007. However, there is no scientific evidence that fenbendazole is an effective cancer cure, and it has not undergone any clinical trials to demonstrate its effectiveness.
According to Full Fact, the nonprofit organization that specializes in evaluating health claims, Tippens did not follow an approved cancer treatment plan. His regimen did not include a placebo, and it is impossible to determine whether his improvement was due to the fenbendazole alone or the combination of other therapies he received. Furthermore, he was only treated for five months before his story went viral.
Tippens’ protocol involves taking 222 mg of fenbendazole a day, seven days a week. It is available as oral granules or liquid suspension and is taken with food. It is recommended that patients measure their dosage with a measuring spoon to avoid ingesting too much, which can cause stomach upset.
The protocol also includes juicing carrots and eating whole foods, such as cruciferous vegetables, and drinking water mixed with apple cider vinegar. Tippens claims that these practices can help the body absorb fenbendazole more effectively, and that it will increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
To evaluate the antitumor effects of fenbendazole, we used EMT6 mammary tumor cells in vitro and as solid tumors in mice to test fenbendazole alone and in combination with radiotherapy and docetaxel. Intensive treatment with fenbendazole reduced the numbers of EMT6 tumor cells in monolayer cultures and in xenografts in mice. Survival curves for unirradiated and irradiated tumors were superimposed to show that fenbendazole did not alter the radiation or docetaxel dose-response curves, but did significantly increase their antineoplastic effects.
Febendazole and irradiated tumors produced additive cytotoxicity in the mice. To explore underlying mechanisms, we tested tumor cells for the presence of wild-type p53, which is involved in maintaining proper cellular growth and development. Inhibition of p53 protein function by fenbendazole was associated with enhanced radiosensitivity, apoptosis and cellular differentiation. In addition, we found that fenbendazole reduces glucose uptake in cancer cells and may thus be a useful metabolic tumor suppressor. Our results suggest that fenbendazole has potential as an antitumor agent and warrants further testing as a chemotherapeutic drug. fenbendazole for humans cancer