title: Fenbendazole as a potential anticancer drug.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the anticancer activity of fenbendazole, a widely used antihelminth with mechanisms of action that overlap with those of the hypoxia-selective nitroheterocyclic cytotoxins/radiosensitizers and the taxanes.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used EMT6 mouse mammary tumor cells in cell culture and as solid tumors in mice to examine the cytotoxic and antitumor effects of fenbendazole as a single agent and in combination regimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intensive treatments with fenbendazole were toxic to EMT6 cells in vitro; toxicity increased with incubation time and under conditions of severe hypoxia. Fenbendazole did not alter the dose-response curves for radiation or docetaxel; instead, the agents produced additive cytotoxicities. Febendazole in maximally-intensive regimens did not alter the growth of EMT6 tumors, or increase the antineoplastic effects of radiation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These studies provided no evidence that fenbendazole would have value in cancer therapy, but suggested that this general class of compounds merits further investigation.
authors: Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, PO Box 208040, New Haven, CT 06520-8040, USA. sara.rockwell@yale.edu
authors: Qiwen
authors: Q
authors: Duan
authors: Yanfeng
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Rockwell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005273:Fenbendazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005273:Fenbendazole
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