A newly published study in Frontiers in Pharmacology (2025) looked at how fenbendazole, a drug traditionally used as an anti-parasitic, affects breast cancer cells in laboratory and animal models. While this research is still early and not conducted in humans, the findings help explain why fenbendazole has drawn scientific interest in recent years.
What the Researchers Studied
The researchers tested fenbendazole in two main ways:
- On breast cancer cells in the lab
- In mice implanted with breast cancer tumors
Their goal was not to prove a cure, but to understand how fenbendazole interacts with cancer cells and whether it shows anti-cancer activity under controlled conditions.
What They Found
- Tumor growth slowed in mice
Mice treated with fenbendazole developed smaller tumors compared to untreated mice. Tumor growth was noticeably slower over time. - Cancer cells were pushed into a specific type of cell death
Fenbendazole triggered a process called pyroptosis. Unlike quiet cell death (where cells simply shut down), pyroptosis causes cancer cells to swell, rupture, and self-destruct in a way that can alert the immune system. - In simple terms, the cancer cells didn’t just stop growing — they were forced into a violent shutdown they couldn’t easily escape.
- Cancer’s energy supply was disrupted
Cancer cells depend heavily on sugar for fuel. The study showed that fenbendazole reduced activity of a key enzyme (HK2) involved in glycolysis, the process cancer cells use to rapidly generate energy. - By interfering with this energy system, fenbendazole made it harder for cancer cells to survive and multiply.
- Limited toxicity was observed in mice
Compared to traditional chemotherapy used as a control in the study, fenbendazole did not cause obvious liver or kidney damage in the mice. Body weight and organ tissue appeared largely unaffected during the study period.
What This Means — and What It Doesn’t
This study helps researchers better understand how fenbendazole may affect cancer cells at a metabolic level. It supports the idea that disrupting cancer’s energy systems and survival mechanisms is an area worth further investigation.
At the same time:
- This was not a human trial
- The findings do not prove fenbendazole is a cancer treatment
- Dosage, safety, and effectiveness in humans remain unknown
- Clinical trials would be required before any medical use could be considered
Why This Research Matters
Much of modern cancer research is shifting toward metabolic and systems-based approaches—looking beyond tumors alone and examining how cancer cells fuel themselves, resist treatment, and return after therapy.
This study contributes to that growing body of research by showing that fenbendazole:
- Interferes with cancer metabolism
- Activates a hard-to-avoid form of cancer cell death
- Demonstrates these effects in pre-clinical models without obvious toxicity
It doesn’t offer answers yet, but it adds important data to an ongoing scientific conversation.
Disclaimer:
This article is for educational and informational purposes only. Journey to Wellness does not provide medical advice or recommend any treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making decisions related to cancer care, medications, or supplements.
