Repurposing anti-parasitic meds to fight cancer - Mebendazole

[Magicpaintbrush]

I only heard about this last week and have been looking into it. My DH (46) has terminal bowel cancer, with less than six months to live, and what I have read is mixed. I'm primarily interested in Mebendazole (actually a thread worm treatment), but ivermectin and Fenbenzadole (actually used in veterinary medicine) are also frequently mentioned.

"Mebendazole, a commonly used, low-cost anti-parasitic drug, is being investigated in the UK and globally as a "repurposed" cancer treatment. Preclinical studies suggest it may disrupt cancer cell growth (tubulin polymerization), inhibit metastasis, and enhance chemotherapy (e.g., docetaxel in prostate cancer). While showing promise for brain, prostate, and ovarian cancers, clinical evidence remains mostly early-phase"

I'm going round in circles on the internet and DHs Oncologist isn't even sure what to tell us as she doesn't know much about it. Does anybody have any actual first hand experience of using Mebenzadole, or similar, as a cancer treatment, to complement chemo, or on it's own? Or maybe do you know of anybody who has tried it and what happened? This is a medication that is easily obtained, I could probably walk into Asda and get a bottle of this stuff. But should I? Will it help him, or will it just make him more ill, and how much is the dose, can it be taken long term? Without it he will definitely die. I don't know what to do.

It’s pretty frowned upon to discuss it here but DH treated his prostate cancer with the off label drugs you mentioned.

He combined it with diet, herbal preparations and hyperbaric oxygen.

In three years he shrunk his cancer in half and halted any further progression but we ultimately cracked and he had conventional removal in January.

Histology showed we were on the right path and recurrence was given at 3%.

I would perhaps look at the following.

Jane McLelland book and on line course how to starve cancer.

Care Oncology for off label prescribing.

And John Cavendish naturopath for herbal preparations.

If you are anywhere near Ludlow I can also recommend a fantastic guy.

Take care of yourself too, this is very hard on you x

I have been taking mebendazole (brand name Vermox) for 5 years along with metformin and atorvastatin and a couple of supplements, all prescribed by Care Oncology Clinic. Alongside my NHS immunotherapy treatment for stage 4 melanoma. Still stable since 2020. I think the immunotherapy is the main (or sole, who knows?) driver of success so far but the other things do no harm (blood tests for my immuno every 4 weeks would show up any problems) and may well be helpful.

PS I take 2 tablets a day of mebendazole. No side effects that I can tell. 'Without it he will definitely die' - sorry for this scary horrible place you are both in - actually this is unknown, right now, and in my experience I have lived so much longer than anyone thought . Sending all the best.

And, I informed my oncologist and they have made no objections.

@livingwithI have recently read that one should make sure one’s vitamin D is at optimal levels for immunotherapy to work, it was a very persuasive argument to explain why it seemed to work for some and not others.

DH is on the same range of meds as yourself although he may now drop the statins due to muscle weakness.

Thank you so much for responding, it means a lot and has been really helpful, thank you. I have looked into Care Oncology and have just this minute emailed them with the initial form to see if my DH is eligible for treatment. I had never heard of them before this week, so, as DH's Oncologist has pretty much said there is nothing more she can do this seems like the right time to go elsewhere for help.

I am clinging on by my fingernails with the science of it all which is complicated and overwhelming, but I understand that things like Mebendazole work best in conjunction with other meds so that multiple cancer growth pathways are blocked, is that right? And that, unlike chemo, they can target cancer stem cells? It may be stupid and naive to have any hope at this point but I just cannot give up. Thank you again for your advice, and I'm so sorry you have also found yourselves navigating the horrible world of cancer. We are two years in and it still feels like we are living in a hideous fever dream and normality feels like a distant memory.

@stayathomegardener yes, I also take a 4000iU vitamin d supplement and have had my levels checked periodically. And I have consulted with the nutritionist from Penny Brohn Centre in Bristol which I highly recommend for many aspects of holistic cancer care.

@Magicpaintbrushyes, you are along the right lines with your understanding I think, it is very complex which is why working with COC is helpful as you don't have to work it all out for yourself. I really don't know if these meds help, but like I said they don't seem to have done me any harm and have possibly supported the success so far of my immunotherapy.

I really would recommend Jane McElland’s book and online course to understand cancer’s metabolic pathways.

I think the course was about £120 on offer when we purchased 3 years ago.

It should give you a good understanding before any Care Oncology appointments.

I really would recommend Jane McElland’s book and online course to understand cancer’s metabolic pathways.

I think the course was about £120 on offer when we purchased 3 years ago.

It should give you a good understanding before any Care Oncology appointments.

@livingwithnote taken re Bristol centre, thank you.

We combined care oncology protocol with traditional treatment for a v aggressive cancer. I do believe it helped to stabilise it for a while.

Care Oncology Clinic have got back to me to say they are currently not taking on any more patients.

Would anybody be willing to explain in detail what exactly the Care Oncology Protocol involved, particularly if it was for bowel cancer?

I'm feeling distraught this morning. I got my hopes up that they could help him and it turns out they don't have room for him. All I could do was ask them to add him to a waiting list in case they open their doors to new patients again, by which time it may be too late.

The doc I saw with Care Oncology Clinic was Dr Hari Kuhan. He has set up a new service now ,.sounds similar, called Lucio Health. Don't know if they have room for new patients. All the best.

Definitely use them. My dear friend was prescribed ivermectin by her dr ( a miracle in itself) for her lymphoma. Was originally told ten years to live a couple of years ago.
very strict diet of no sugar and ivermectin and a whole heap of faith and she got the all clear. Lymphoma has gone into spontaneous remission!!

these drugs work.
Have a look at The truth about Cancer and read Jane McLellands book.
Good luck. x

Thank you so much for your replies, I appreciate it so much - I'm off to google Lucio Health right now, thank you again x

Hi, a friend of mine recommended Patricia Peat at Cancer Options for this type of treatment. She's just gone through an initial assessment and started treatment and is very impressed. Hope this is helpful. Good luck 🤞