Ivermectin and Mebendazole
A study evaluated 197 cancer patients who were prescribed an off-label compounded combination capsule containing 25 mg ivermectin and 250 mg mebendazole.
Ivermectin and mebendazole are widely used, low-cost antiparasitic medications that have demonstrated highly complementary, multi-target anti-cancer activity.
Complementary Mechanisms of Action When used together, these two drugs target non-overlapping pathways, providing a biological rationale for synergistic tumor regression, the depletion of cancer stem cells, and the reversal of multidrug resistance:
Ivermectin exhibits over 14 distinct anti-tumor effects, which include potent inhibition of the PAK1 kinase and disruption of crucial oncogenic signaling pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, and STAT3. It also impairs mitochondrial function and selectively eradicates cancer stem cells.
Mebendazole primarily acts by destabilizing microtubules, which leads to G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. It also significantly inhibits tumor vascularization (angiogenesis) and disrupts glucose uptake.
Both drugs exhibit excellent tissue penetration and high lipophilicity.
Real-World Clinical Outcomes: A recent prospective observational cohort study evaluated 197 cancer patients who were prescribed an off-label compounded combination capsule containing 25 mg ivermectin and 250 mg mebendazole via a telemedicine platform. The patients had diverse malignancies—most commonly prostate and breast cancer—and often combined this protocol with standard chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or dietary modifications.
At a 6-month follow-up, the study found remarkable self-reported outcomes:
A Clinical Benefit Ratio (CBR) of 84.4%, meaning the vast majority of respondents experienced either no current evidence of disease (NED), tumor regression, or stable disease.
Nearly half (48.4%) of the participants reported either tumor regression or no current evidence of disease. Only 15.6% reported tumor progression.
Adherence was high, with 86.9% completing their initial 90-capsule prescription and 66.4% remaining on the therapy at the 6-month mark.
Safety and Cost The ivermectin and mebendazole combination showed a favorable safety profile, with only 25.4% of patients reporting side effects. These adverse events were predominantly mild—such as gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue, or dizziness—and 93.6% of patients who experienced them were able to continue the therapy after minor adjustments or a temporary pause in the regimen.
Furthermore, this repurposed drug combination offers a significant financial advantage: the estimated annual cost is only a few thousand U.S. dollars, compared to standard chemotherapies, which average roughly $111,000 per year.
While these real-world results are highly encouraging and demonstrate the potential value of repurposed, low-toxicity agents, researchers note that the data rely on self-reported outcomes without radiographic confirmation. Because many participants were concurrently undergoing standard cancer therapies or taking other supplements, these findings are considered hypothesis-generating and underscore an urgent need for randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials to rigorously validate their safety and efficacy.
Read this paper:
Real-world Clinical Outcomes of Ivermectin and Mebendazole in Cancer Patients: Results from a Prospective Observational Cohort
NICOLAS HULSCHER, KELLY VICTORY, JAMES A. THORP, DREW PINSKY, ALEJANDRO DIAZ-VILLALOBOS, PETER GILLOOLY, FOSTER COULSON, MELISSA ANNAZONE, CHLOE RADESI, JESSICA BROOKS, PETER A. McCULLOUGH and HARVEY RISCH
Anticancer Research June 2026, 46 (6) 3243-3255; DOI: https://doi.org/10.21873/anticanres.18194