Can Fenbendazole and Vitamins Prevent Lymphoma?

Fenbendazole, a marketed dewormer, has been used in the past to treat a wide range of conditions including parasites and cancer. It is believed to work by inhibiting the growth of microtubules that sustain a cell’s structure, and by blocking sugar absorption; cancer cells must metabolize sugar to survive. In addition, it has been shown to boost a gene called p53 that kills tumor cells. It has recently become popular after a number of cancer success stories involving the use of this drug, as well as other supplements.

During a facility treatment for Aspiculuris tetraptera pinworms with the anthelmintic fenbendazole, an established human lymphoma xenograft in C.B-17/Icr-Prkdcscid/Crl (SCID) mice failed to grow, despite the usual 80% to 100% successful tumor growth within 21 d. To assess whether fenbendazole alone or in combination with supplemental vitamins prevented this failure, 20 vendor-supplied 4-wk-old SCID mice were randomly assigned to 4 groups: control diet; a sterilizable diet supplemented with additional vitamins to compensate for loss during sterilization; a standard diet; and a standardized diet plus fenbendazole and vitamins. Initial and terminal complete blood counts did not differ significantly between any of the groups, ruling out the possibility that a single group received a concentration of immunocompetent SCID mice. At study termination, the fenbendazole + vitamin group demonstrated a significant inhibition of tumor growth, with lower total and neutrophil counts than those in the control group.

The supplemental vitamins probably played an important role in this inhibitory effect, but the synergistic action of the combined fenbendazole and vitamin regimen deserves further investigation. fenben for humans