Is There Such a Thing As a Dewormer For Cancer?
A slew of posts on Facebook and TikTok have been claiming that dog dewormer fenbendazole can cure cancer in humans. The claims are based on the anecdotal story of Joe Tippens, who was diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer in 2016. He took a regimen of fenbendazole (also sold as Panacur C), CBD oil, and curcumin seven days a week and had a PET scan done to see if his cancer was gone. The result was clear, and he has been cancer-free since then.
Tippens’ protocol also includes a diet low in sugar, meat, dairy and processed foods. Several doctors have expressed concern about this treatment.
Some researchers are examining fenbendazole and other drugs in the same class as a potential cancer treatment, and some preclinical studies are underway. But it’s far too soon to make any solid claims about a dewormer for cancer.
Despite the fact that fenbendazole is a broad-spectrum antiparasitic drug approved to treat roundworm and hookworm infections, scientists have only recently begun focusing on its use in cancer treatment. Specifically, they’re looking at the chemical’s ability to inhibit tumor cell growth by interfering with the protein tubulin. Tubulin acts as both a microscopic skeleton inside the cell and a highway for transporting nutrients to cells, and its disruption prevents the cancer cell from getting the oxygen it needs to survive.
Another way fenbendazole may stop tumors is by reducing the amount of VEGF and PD-L1, two molecules that are produced in high concentrations in cancerous tissue. VEGF stimulates the creation of blood vessels that bring nutrients to the cancerous cells, and PD-L1 stops the body’s immune system from attacking them. Fenbendazole interferes with the production of these molecules by inhibiting their synthesis in the cells.
A new study, published in Scientific Reports, suggests that combining fenbendazole with sorafenib could significantly reduce the death rate from advanced colon cancer. This combination approach has already shown promise in animal studies, and it will be the subject of ongoing research at MD Anderson and other prestigious medical centers worldwide.