1. Academic Validation
  2. Fenbendazole as a potential anticancer drug

Fenbendazole as a potential anticancer drug

  • Anticancer Res. 2013 Feb;33(2):355-62.
Qiwen Duan 1 Yanfeng Liu Sara Rockwell
Affiliations

Affiliation

  • 1 Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, PO Box 208040, New Haven, CT 06520-8040, USA. sara.rockwell@yale.edu
PMID: 23393324
Abstract

Background/aims: To evaluate the Anticancer activity of fenbendazole, a widely used antihelminth with mechanisms of action that overlap with those of the hypoxia-selective nitroheterocyclic cytotoxins/radiosensitizers and the taxanes.

Materials and methods: We used EMT6 mouse mammary tumor cells in Cell Culture and as solid tumors in mice to examine the cytotoxic and antitumor effects of fenbendazole as a single agent and in combination regimens.

Results: Intensive treatments with fenbendazole were toxic to EMT6 cells in vitro; toxicity increased with incubation time and under conditions of severe hypoxia. Fenbendazole did not alter the dose-response curves for radiation or docetaxel; instead, the agents produced additive cytotoxicities. Febendazole in maximally-intensive regimens did not alter the growth of EMT6 tumors, or increase the antineoplastic effects of radiation.

Conclusion: These studies provided no evidence that fenbendazole would have value in Cancer therapy, but suggested that this general class of compounds merits further investigation.

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