Fenbendazole For Humans As a Cancer Treatment
Fenbendazole is an anthelmintic that kills parasites. It has also shown some promise as a cancer treatment.
Some studies show that fenbendazole can slow down cancer cell growth in laboratory settings and animals. This may be because it interferes with the cancer cells’ ability to take in glucose for energy.
Benefits
Researchers are investigating whether the drug mebendazole—used to fight roundworms and hookworms—can also stop cancer. The drug cuts off the parasites’ supply of nutrition by disrupting the formation of tubulin, which is a part of both their micro-skeleton and a highway for transporting materials around the cell.
In some studies, fenbendazole has been shown to slow cancer cells in culture and animal models. But there’s no evidence from randomized clinical trials that it could cure humans with cancer.
While there may be similarities between cancer cells and parasites, the idea that an antiparasitic drug could cure a person’s cancer isn’t scientifically sound. There are many different established treatments for cancer, including chemotherapy, which kills cancer cells that are dividing and causing them to grow out of control.
Side Effects
Fenbendazole has a long track record of being safe and effective in humans. It is part of the benzimidazole class of medications, which have been used for decades as broad-spectrum anthelmintics. These drugs interfere with the organization of microtubules inside parasite cells, inhibiting their ability to eliminate waste or absorb nutrients. This starves the cell of energy, leading to its death. In laboratory experiments, anthelmintic medications have shown the potential to kill cancer cells and reduce tumor growth in human patients.
However, it is important to work with a health care professional when using this medication. Your healthcare provider can review your full medical history and assess your specific risk factors to determine if fenbendazole is right for you. This personalized approach minimizes side effects and maximizes the effectiveness of this anti-cancer therapy.
Dosage
Fenbendazole is a benzimidazole that has been used as an anthelmintic and has antiparasitic activity in dogs. It is also reported to have antitumor effects. It binds to tubulin and inhibits its microtubule polymerization.
Cells establish their shape and structure through a protein scaffolding called the cytoskeleton, which is made up of a component known as tubulin. This is the protein that Riggins targeted with his drug, which cuts off tubulin’s supply of food and starves cancer cells to death.
The researchers randomly assigned tumor-bearing mice to receive three or four injections of fenbendazole, each administered at different doses, along with either irradiation or no treatment. Tumor growth was rigorously measured at fixed time points throughout the experiment and compared between groups to determine whether the drug altered the ability of irradiation or no treatment to slow tumor development. The appearance, behavior, and weight of the mice were carefully monitored at all times during the experiment. The results showed that the drug did not affect the ability of irradiation or the combination of drugs to reduce tumor growth or lymph node metastases in untreated or treated mice.
Safety
Fenbendazole has been found to interfere with cancer cells’ ability to access glucose, which is essential for cellular growth. This action starves the cancer cells and causes them to die.
This is a benzimidazole anthelmintic drug that has been widely used as an antiparasitic agent in humans and animals. It works by inhibiting the polymerization of tubulin, a component of microtubules, which are structures that give shape and structure to cells. Microtubules are also involved in the separation of chromosomes during cell division. Fenbendazole and other benzimidazole drugs have been shown to exhibit antitumor activity in laboratory studies.
However, Cancer Research UK notes that there is insufficient evidence that fenbendazole can cure cancer. It is important for patients to work with an integrative healthcare professional who can assess each patient’s unique situation, medications and other treatments. They can then help determine if fenbendazole is right for them. This will help ensure the right dosage is taken and that no serious side effects are experienced.fenbendazole for humans cancer