A veterinarian who posted videos on TikTok and Facebook claiming that a dog deworming medicine cures cancer has lost his license. The vet, Andrew Jones, severed ties with the CVBC after it reprimanded him in 2019. Fenbendazole seems to slow cancer cell growth in cells and animals. However, there isn’t enough evidence from randomized clinical trials to show that it would prevent recurrent cancer in humans. Mechanism of Action Fenbendazole inhibits the growth of cancer cells and blocks tumor progression in laboratory tests. It works by interfering with the formation of microtubules, which are proteins that help cells establish their shape and structure. Microtubules are essential for cell division, which allows two copies of each chromosome to be separated evenly during anaphase and then divided independently during prophase. In addition, fenbendazole suppresses the proliferation of human colorectal cancer cells in vitro by promoting apoptosis and apoptosis-augmented ferroptosis. It also induces p21-mediated G2/M phase arrest in 5-fluorouracil-resistant SNU-C5 cells and human colon cancer organoids and decreases autophagy by increasing Beclin-1 expression. The research was published in the journal Scientific Reports. The study analyzed 21 lung cancer patients who were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire that included three categories: the acquisition channel of general information on fenbendazole and false information, the quality of obtained information, and perception toward the information. The majority of participants acquired the information on fenbendazole through media (e.g., TV and Facebook). Dosage The Joe Tippens Cancer Protocol calls for a dose of 222 mg per day, taken seven days a week with food. This drug is available in oral granules or as a liquid suspension and should be measured accurately to avoid overdosing. Several preclinical studies are examining this class of drugs as potential cancer treatments, but they haven’t been tested in humans yet. And while drug experiments in petri dishes or mice can look promising, it’s only when a treatment is tested in human trials that we know if it works and is safe. We conducted 21 focus group interviews with lung cancer patients to examine how they acquired information about fenbendazole, where they got false or general cancer information, and their perceptions and attitudes toward the information they received. Participants were interviewed about their experiences with fenbendazole, including the amount they took and how often. They also discussed the quality of the information they had obtained and how they cross-checked it with other sources. Side Effects Fenbendazole is a common antiparasitic agent used to treat gastrointestinal parasites (pinworms, giardia, roundworms, hookworms, and Taenia solium) and lung parasites such as pulmonary paragonimiasis. It acts by interfering with the formation of microtubules, a protein scaffold that gives shape and structure to cells. This mechanism is similar to the one of cytotoxic anticancer agents such as vinca alkaloids (vinblastine, vincristine, and vindexine) and taxanes (paclitaxel and docetaxel). A recent study found that a diet supplemented with vitamins and fenbendazole significantly inhibited tumor growth in mice. However, this anecdotal result needs confirmation by randomized controlled trials. Also, there’s no evidence that fenbendazole kills cancer in humans. Recommendations There isn’t enough evidence from randomized clinical trials to show that fenbendazole can treat cancer in humans. This is true even though fenbendazole appears to suppress the growth of cancer cells in petri dishes and mice, according to research. The fenbendazole claims have gained traction in the media after being promoted by unlicensed veterinarian Andrew Jones in videos on YouTube and TikTok. Jones resigned from the College of Veterinarians of British Columbia after the college reprimanded him for promoting alternative medicine. Jones has been a featured speaker at conferences and his videos have garnered millions of views. He is also the author of books. The Joe Tippens cancer protocol is based on anecdotal reports of a man named Joe Tippens who claimed that taking fenbendazole, an antiparasitic drug used to treat dogs, was what cured his small-cell lung cancer. However, it’s important to note that Tippens was undergoing conventional cancer treatments at the time of his remission. fenbendazole for cancer
