Can fenbendazole treat Stage 4 colon cancer?

Short Answer: Fenbendazole has shown anti-cancer activity in preclinical models by disrupting microtubules and blocking glucose uptake, but no controlled human clinical trials exist for colon cancer. It is not a proven treatment.

Evidence Level: preliminary

Detailed Answer

Fenbendazole is a benzimidazole antiparasitic that gained attention after the Joe Tippens case report. In vitro and mouse xenograft studies (Dogra et al., 2018, Sci Rep) demonstrate that fenbendazole disrupts microtubule polymerization, inhibits GLUT4-mediated glucose uptake, and induces p53-dependent apoptosis in cancer cells. However, no Phase I/II/III clinical trials have tested fenbendazole in human colon cancer patients. Its oral bioavailability in humans is only ~10%, raising questions about achievable tumor concentrations. Mebendazole, a closely related drug with more human safety data, has a registered glioblastoma trial (NCT01729260). Patients should discuss any repurposed drug use with their oncologist and not replace standard-of-care treatment.

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