Ivermectin, Mebendazole and Atovaquone for Cancer: A Systematic Review (2025)
Abstract Background: Integrative oncology increasingly incorporates repurposed drugs like ivermectin, mebendazole, and atovaquone to complement conventional cancer therapies by targeting drug resistance, tumor hypoxia, and immunologic evasion. This systematic review synthesizes current clinical and mechanistic evidence supporting these agents and highlights ongoing clinical trials and future perspectives in 2025. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed, PMC, clinical trial registries, and oncology integrative medicine sources from 2018 through 2025 for studies addressing ivermectin, mebendazole, and atovaquone in cancer treatment. Eligible studies included in vitro, in vivo, and clinical trials with relevant mechanistic insights and clinical outcomes. Evidence was appraised for quality and strength of recommendation in integrative oncology context. Results: Ivermectin displays multimodal anticancer effects including mitochondrial inhibition, reversal of mu...