When Joe Tippens learned he had advanced lung cancer, he was told it was terminal. In his desperation, he turned to alternative medicine. Among other things, he started taking the spice curcumin and CBD oil. He also boosted his diet with extra vitamin E. And, he took something else: dog dewormer.
The drug in question, fenbendazole, is approved by the FDA to rid dogs and other animals of parasites. And it has been linked to some cancer-fighting activity in mice. But federal agencies tell PolitiFact that there’s not enough evidence to support claims that the anthelmintic drug can actually cure human cancer.
In January 2017, Tippens’ doctors told him he had just three months to live. So he did what any rational person would do: He consulted the internet. And, on the basis of an anecdote he heard from a veterinarian, he began to take what many people use to treat their dogs’ worms.
He credits the dewormer with saving his life. He says it suppresses the growth of microtubules, which provide structure to cells. Cancer cells depend on those microtubules to grow, but fenbendazole stops them in their tracks.
It’s not the first time that someone has claimed a natural treatment could save them from cancer. But it’s becoming more common as scientists advance a host of new ways to attack the disease, including immunotherapies that prompt the body’s own immune system to fight the tumors. Those approaches are promising, but they can come with severe side effects. dog dewormer cancer