Fenbendazole vs Mebendazole in Pancreatic Cancer, Colon Cancer, Brain Cancer and Paragangliomas

Fenbendazole vs. Mebendazole: What's the Difference?

Fenbendazole is part of a larger group of drugs known as benzimidazole, which are anthelmintic drugs (i.e., drugs that kill parasitic worms). Another benzimidazole is mebendazole, which can be prescribed to humans with certain gut infections, including threadworms, whipworms, hookworms, and roundworms.

These two drugs are similar in that they both eliminate parasitic worms, but there is a difference. Mebendazole is approved for human consumption by the FDA, while fenbendazole is only approved for veterinary use and has not been approved for human use.

The class of drugs known as benzimidazoles includes fenbendazole, mebendazole, albendazole and flubendazole. Mebendazole is the form that is approved for human use while fenbendazole is approved for veterinary use. The main difference is the cost. Mebendazole is expensive ~$450 per pill (two pills of mebendazole cost just $4 in the UK.), while fenbendazole is inexpensive ~48 cents per 222 mg free powder dose (Williams, 2019). Albendazole is the form used to treat intestinal parasites in India and these cost 2 cents per pill. 

Although studies are limited, researchers have found mebendazole to have anti-cancer properties like fenbendazole. It stops worms from absorbing glucose, which they need to grow. Researchers have found that it can also prevent cancer cells from absorbing glucose, keeping them from expanding.

While most of the pre-clinical research uses mebendazole, probably because it is the FDA-approved-for-humans form of fenbendazole, virtually most of the self-treating clinical reports involve the use of fenbendazole.

While fenbendazole for human cancer has gained more popularity with some interesting fenbendazole cancer success stories, some research suggests mebendazole might be more effective for treating different types of tumors. For example, research studies have shown that mebendazole could be more effective for brain, prostate, and ovarian cancers.

Fenbendazole vs Mebendazole in Pancreatic Cancer, Colon Cancer and Paragangliomas

According to a 2021 Italian Study:

“Current anticancer approaches still largely rely on conventional chemotherapy, the efficacy of which is often hampered by the development of drug resistance...thus, novel and more effective drugs are needed to improve cancer patient outcomes” 

“Intriguingly, the repurposing of non-antitumor drugs to be exploited in cancer therapy represents a valuable and an alternative strategy, since candidate agents have well documented pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic features, together with good safety profiles, which may speed up their approval and implementation in the clinics” 

In this study, we explored the effects of a large series of benzimidazole-based anthelmintics on the viability of different tumor cell lines derived from paraganglioma, pancreatic and colorectal cancer. Flubendazole, parbendazole, oxibendazole, mebendazole, albendazole and fenbendazole showed the most consistent antiproliferative effects.

“Notably, for the two derivatives fenbendazole and mebendazole, target prediction analysis pointed out a few cancer-related molecular targets having very high probability scores, thus suggesting polypharmacological profiles of these drugs.” 

According to Dr William Makis, a Canadian oncologist:

Fenbendazole and Mebendazole both increase p53 tumor suppressor levels, which are impaired in 50-60% of all cancers and even further impaired in those who took Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines and developed TURBO CANCER.

VERDICT: Fenbendazole has superior cancer killing at higher doses for pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer and paragangliomas (compared to Mebendazole and Albendazole).

Fenbendazole vs Mebendazole in Pancreatic Cancer

FENBENDAZOLE vs MEBENDAZOLE in Pancreatic Cancer - which is better? Obscure Italian study gives the answer in the battle of the anti-parasitics It's the question everyone is asking.

According to Dr William Makis:

Repurposed anti-parasitics are now being used successfully to treat Stage 4 Cancers and Turbo Cancers. The most popular repurposed anti-parasitics are: Ivermectin, Fenbendazole and Mebendazole! I have developed High Dose Protocols to use these successfully, in situations where conventional Oncology has utterly failed. So which is better? Fenbendazole? Or its sister compound, FDA approved and much more expensive Mebendazole? An Italian team tested them head to head and got a surprising answer. Their published results are very difficult to find. 

The answer: It depends on the dose used, and the type of cancer. That being said, the difference is fairly minor. For a cancer patient, what’s most important is availability and access to these drugs. If you can’t get one, get the other. But make sure you're able to get at least one of them. Because they may just save your life one day. (for Pancreatic Cancer, the winner is Fenbendazole)

Florio et al. Cancers 2019

Mebendazole vs Fenbendazole in treatment of Glioblastoma Brain Cancer

According to this 2011 study from Oxford:

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), which has been classified as a grade IV astrocytoma, is a highly aggressive tumor that invades early into surrounding brain tissues, making cure via surgical resection almost impossible...

There is a need to broaden the available treatments for GBM by introducing new therapeutic agents. One possible means to expedite initiation of GBM clinical trials is to examine previously established drugs with known track records of safety in humans, regardless of their intended use...

We accidentally found that fenbendazole, a benzimidazole, reduced brain tumor engraftment in nude mice after the mouse colony was treated for pinworms. Fenbendazole was previously reported to interfere with one lymphoma model in 2008, after we had already noted problems with fenbendazole disrupting brain tumor engraftment" 

We pursued this finding by evaluating whether the 2 most widely used human approved benzimidazoles showed efficacy against glioblastoma models...Subsequent in vitro and in vivo experiments with benzimidazoles identified mebendazole as the more promising drug for Glioblastoma therapy...

Mebendazole disrupted microtubule formation in GBM cells...We showed that mebendazole significantly extended mean survival up to 63% in mouse glioma models...Our findings indicate that mebendazole is a possible novel anti-brain tumor therapeutic that could be further tested in clinical trials.

Fenbendazole is an anti-parasitic drug that increases p53 tumor suppressor levels and blocks glucose utilization by cancer cells. When Joe Tippens got a tip on how to treat his Stage 4 Small Cell Lung Cancer, this was the study that his friend told him about, which helped him cure his Stage 4 Cancer. (source)

We have described two papers (mentioned above) that tested Fenbendazole head to head with Mebendazole.  Although the two anti-parasitics are very similar in efficacy at higher doses, Mebendazole has superior brain cancer cell killing at lower loses compared to Fenbendazole. So for Glioblastoma, it’s Mebendazole if you can get it. Otherwise, you can't go wrong with Fenbendazole. It's still almost as good. (source)

According to Adam Gaertner:

Been saying for a long while that menbendazole is preferable when it comes to brain cancers specifically. Glad more evidence is coming out. They are great independently, but in combination, IVM, FBZ, Vit C and bicarb are a cure.

What Does Science Say About How Fenben Works for Cancer?

A few studies have explored how Fenbendazole for humans can work alongside traditional cancer therapies to decrease cancer cells. For example, one study found that it may be effective in inhibiting the glucose intake of cancer cells, which could help prevent their growth and spread. Additionally, the drug has been shown to interfere with multiple cellular pathways in cancer patients, which could further impede the cancer cells’ ability to survive and replicate.

The positive results of research on fenbendazole for cancer mean the drug could be repurposed for treating human ailments, including cancer. Fenbendazole for humans could save a considerable amount of time and money in developing new cancer-fighting drugs.

 

Is Fenbendazole Safe for Humans?

Fenbendazole for humans is considered safe because of its low toxicity and high safety margin, as indicated by limited studies. However, it is important to remember that the FDA has not approved it.

To determine the proper dosage of Fenbendazole for humans, studies have shown that a single oral dose of up to 2,000 mg per person or multiple doses of 500 mg per person for 10 days are generally safe. It’s important to note that these are only general guidelines, and the appropriate dosage may vary depending on each person’s specific cancer.

Fenben vs Fenbendazole: What's the Difference?

Dewormers, such as Fenben and fenbendazole, play a crucial role in keeping livestock healthy. Many wonder if these terms refer to different products or are interconnected. The truth is that Fenben is not merely another name for fenbendazole but rather a brand that harnesses the active ingredient fenbendazole to combat parasitic infestations in animals.

Yes, Fenben is the brand name for the active ingredient fenbendazole. (source)

Disclaimers: 

• Please do not consider this guide as personal medical advice, but as a recommendation for use by professional providers. Consult with your doctor and discuss with her/him. 
• Our aim here isn't to replace your doctors' advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information. Do take note that most treatments are not 100% protective or curative against cancer. It's a continuous struggle between the immune system and the cancer cells. Cancer treatments are meant to assist the immune system in this battle.
• Cancer treatment should be part of a multi-modal approach in order to provide the best possible outcome. Diet and lifestyle changes are meant to run alongside conventional treatment. They are complementary, not alternative. That said, there is no miracle diet or treatment that can cure all cancers.

Related: 

Fenbendazole in Stage 4 Cancers

Best Anti Cancer Supplements

Repurposed Drugs for Cancer: What You Need to Know

What are the Best Cancer Fighting Foods

Benefits of Vitamin C in Cancer Treatment

CAR-T vs CAR-NK - The Cancer Cell Therapy Showdown