TY - JOUR T1 - Fenbendazole as a Potential Anticancer Drug JF - Anticancer Research JO - Anticancer Res SP - 355 LP - 362 VL - 33 IS - 2 AU - QIWEN DUAN AU - YANFENG LIU AU - SARA ROCKWELL Y1 - 2013/02/01 UR - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/33/2/355.abstract N2 - Background/Aims: 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. Materials and 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. Conclusion: These studies provided no evidence that fenbendazole would have value in cancer therapy, but suggested that this general class of compounds merits further investigation. ER -