AdminFenbendazole, or “fenben,” is a medication typically used to treat parasites and worms (roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and some tapeworms) in animals, often dogs. It is also being promoted by humans with cancer as part of a treatment method known as the Joe Tippens Protocol.
The Joe Tippens Protocol involves taking fenbendazole in combination with curcumin and CBD. It is based on the anecdotal story of a man who was diagnosed with small-cell lung cancer and said that taking fenbendazole and other alternative treatments caused his tumors to shrink. Despite the lack of scientific evidence, the claims have gone viral on social media and fenbendazole has become a popular medication in South Korea, where it is being sold out of pharmacies.
Benzimidazole anthelmintic drugs, including fenbendazole, are anticancer agents with low IC50 values and high efficacy in mice models. They have also been repurposed to overcome drug resistance in 5-fluorouracil-resistant colorectal cancer cells [5].
We investigated whether fenbendazole induces various types of cell death pathways and how these are regulated in 5-fluorouracil-resistant SNU-C5 and SNU-C5/5-FUR cells. Viability and apoptosis were determined by MTT assay, Western blot, and flow cytometry assays. Benzimidazoles inhibited the proliferation of both cell lines. Time-dependent anticancer effects of fenbendazole were further examined by analyzing the expression levels of necroptosis-related proteins phosphorylated by RIP and RIP3 kinases, namely phosphor-mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (pMLKL), and caspase-8.
To explore the influence of fenbendazole on cancer patients’ beliefs and perceptions, we conducted four focus groups interviews with 19 lung cancer patients. The interviews focused on the process of acquiring false and general information, its quality, and the participants’ attitude toward the information. fenbendazole cancer