Can Fenbendazole Cure Cancer in Humans?

Fenbendazole is a drug that is used to treat parasites and worms in animals. It has also been used as a cancer treatment. However, it has not been shown to cure cancer in humans.

Textbook depictions of cells often show them as floating in amorphous bags of liquid. But in fact, cells establish structure and shape through a protein scaffolding called the cytoskeleton, which is made up of microtubules.
Antiparasitic

Although fenbendazole has been used as an antiparasitic medicine for dogs since the 1970s, it has recently gained popularity after a Canadian veterinarian posted videos on Facebook and TikTok that claimed that this medication cures cancer. This claim has been debunked by Sheila Singh, a McMaster University researcher.

While the claims about fenbendazole are controversial, some scientific publications suggest that it may reactivate the p53 gene and cause cancer cells to die. This discovery could lead to a new treatment for many types of cancer.

To test the effects of fenbendazole, researchers treated human non-small cell lung cancer cells with the drug. The effects were then analyzed using immunofluorescence and Western blot techniques. The results showed that fenbendazole caused partial disruption of the microtubule network and induced apoptosis in cancer cells. The drug also caused a decrease in tumor size and weight. This effect was observed in both irradiated and unirradiated tumors. The tumors were also weighed and measured at each time point during the experiment.
Chemotherapeutic

Although fenbendazole is a broad-spectrum antiparasitic drug and has been used to treat parasitic worm infections in animals like horses, it has not yet been tested as an anticancer agent. However, research published in Scientific Reports suggests that it could have chemotherapeutic effects against cancer cells.

The drug works by interfering with linear movement through the microtubule, which cuts off cancer cells’ supply of nutrients. It also impedes glucose absorption, which starves cancer cells and makes them more sensitive to other types of treatment.

The drug has been shown to reactivate the p53 tumor suppressor gene and halt cell proliferation. It is also effective in killing a type of cancer cell that is resistant to chemotherapy drugs such as paclitaxel. In addition, it can be combined with other chemotherapeutic agents to enhance their effectiveness. It also evades the resistance that often develops to single-target drugs. This makes it an ideal cancer therapy.
Antioxidant

Researchers have found that fenbendazole, a drug that is used in the veterinary industry to treat parasitic worms, may also have anti-cancer effects. This is a promising finding, but the results need to be validated in clinical trials. A recent article published in Scientific Reports suggests that the drug is effective against cancer because it reactivates the p53 gene inside the genome of a tumor cell.

The benzimidazole antihelminthic agent fenbendazole has been shown to be an antioxidant that inhibits microtubule polymerization, reducing the energy supply of a cancer cell. It also prevents glucose uptake and blocks the accumulation of glycogen. These effects result in a decrease in the growth rate of tumor cells and apoptosis.

In a series of experiments, mice were treated with fenbendazole in sterile, pyrogen-free physiologic saline or untreated. The growth of tumors in each mouse was measured and recorded daily. The mice were then anesthetized and irradiated with 10 Gy of 250 kV x-rays.
Immunosuppressant

Fenbendazole exhibits antitumor effects by targeting the cell cycle machinery. It inhibits the polymerization of tubulin, which forms microtubules that provide structure and shape to cells. This effect is similar to those of cytotoxic anticancer agents that act on microtubules, including vinca alkaloids and taxanes.

The anthelmintic properties of fenbendazole are thought to be linked to its ability to starve cancer cells by blocking their access to glucose. It inhibits the appearance of glucose transporter isoform 4 in the plasma membrane, blocking insulin-fueled glucose uptake by cancer cells.

This is the first study to show that a parasite-fighting drug can also be an effective cancer treatment. While the study’s results are preliminary, it suggests that the benzimidazole family may have a wide range of benefits in humans. In addition, this medication is already used to treat a variety of helminth infections in patients.fenbendazole for humans cancer