Tag: advanced prostate cancer

Fenbendazole and Ivermectin for prostate cancer : what is the evidence ?

There is a significant social media promotion of these two drug combination- fenbendazole and ivermectin – for treatment of prostate cancer.

They are relatively cheap and so cost is not a major hindrance.

Are they both any good for routine clinical use ?

The short answer is NO.

Both Ivermectin and Fenbendazole are drugs currently licensed for treatment of human and / or animal infections.

There is lot of pre-clinical laboratory evidence to indicate anti-cancer activity regarding these two drugs. But that does not mean they can be safely used clinically. Good clinical trials are needed before they can be used clinically .

Remember both drugs can have significant side effects. ( Ivermectin . Fenbendazole ).

For instance, these drugs can cause liver damage. They can cause nausea, stomach pain, muscle pain, joint pain and in worse cases cause mental changes.

Advanced cancer patients are desperate to try anything. It’s human nature to fight . But that doesn’t mean trying “unproven treatments” are a good idea. This is because the side effects of the drugs can make cancer patients life even more miserable.

Both the drugs – Ivermectin and Fenbendazole- can also interfere with other cancer treatments.

Scientifically, we cannot 100% rule out that a derivative of Ivermectin or Fenbendazole might be repurposed for cancer treatment in future.

But it is NOT a good idea to use Ivermectin or Fenbendazole as an anti-cancer treatment in routine clinical practice NOW.

Be careful. Discuss your concerns with your doctor.

Be aware of scams.

Also be very careful about friends, family members and well wishers – with good intentions – but unknowingly passing misleading information to you !

References

Macmillan. Cancer and ivermectin: What people with cancer need to know. Richard Simcock Chief Medical Officer and Macmillan. Published: 01 October 2025

Ivermectin European Data sheet. Accessed 1st Feb 2026. Patient information leaflet.

Ivermectin pil.15513.pdfDownload

Fenbendazole. DEFRA. VETERINARY MEDICINAL PRODUCT. Accessed 1st Feb 2026.

Fenbendazole SPC_138324.PDFDownload

Ivermectin Review: Ivermectin, a potential anticancer drug derived from an antiparasitic drug

Fenbendazole: Oral Fenbendazole for Cancer Therapy in Humans and Animals. Jolie Nguyen et al. Anticancer Res. 2024 Sep

Ivermectin: Integrated analysis reveals FOXA1 and Ku70/Ku80 as targets of ivermectin in prostate cancer.

Ivermectin: Ivermectin in Cancer Treatment: Should Healthcare Providers Caution or Explore Its Therapeutic Potential? Yash Patel et al. Curr Oncol Rep. 2025 Sep

False information on ivermectin continues to circulate worldwide. Published on May 14, 2025 at 22:01. Updated on May 16, 2025 at 06:59. By Ede ZABORSZKY.

Disclaimer: Please note – This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is NOT a expert medical opinion on various topics. This blog is purely for information research only and do check the sources where cited. Please DO consult your own doctor to discuss concerns and options, which are relevant and specific to you. The views expressed in this blog are NOT, in any way whatsoever, intended to be a substitute for professional advice. The blog is NOT previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed, in any way, by any organisation that the author is associated with. The views expressed in this blog likely represents some of the author’s personal views held at the time of drafting the blog and MAY CHANGE overtime, particularly when new evidence comes to light.

New drug combination for advanced prostate cancer patients

NICE (National institute for health and care excellence) has approved a new drug combination for 1st line treatment of hormone refractory cancer.

The combination is made up of two drugs.

(A) talazoparib, (B) enzalutamide.

Enzalutamide is already being used for treatment of prostate cancer. Using Enzalutamide along with new drug talazoparib was found to significantly improves survival outcomes in a large clinic trial.

In USA, combination of talazoparib plus enzalutamide  has been approved only for patients with certain genetic mutations. The FDA has not approved the combination for patients without specific mutations .

In contrast, NICE in UK has approved combination of “talazoparib plus enzalutamide” for all patients irrespective of mutations. People with HRR gene mutations seem to derive the most benefit from the combination of talazoparib plus enzalutamide.

References

  1. NICE. Thousands could benefit from new take-at-home treatment for advanced prostate cancer . 23 January 2026
  2. NICE Guidance. Talazoparib with enzalutamide for untreated hormone-relapsed metastatic prostate cancer [ID4004].
  3. Urology times. News|Articles|June 17, 2025. FDA does not approve talazoparib plus enzalutamide for non-HRR gene mutated mCRPC
    Author(s)Hannah Clarke
  4. Lancet: Volume 406, Issue 10502P447-460. August 02, 2025.
    Talazoparib plus enzalutamide in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: final overall survival results from the randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 TALAPRO-2 trial.

Disclaimer: Please note – This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is NOT a expert medical opinion on various topics. This blog is purely for information research only and do check the sources where cited. Please DO consult your own doctor to discuss concerns and options, which are relevant and specific to you. The views expressed in this blog are NOT, in any way whatsoever, intended to be a substitute for professional advice. The blog is NOT previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed, in any way, by any organisation that the author is associated with. The views expressed in this blog likely represents some of the author’s personal views held at the time of drafting the blog and MAY CHANGE overtime, particularly when new evidence comes to light.

New drug approved for Prostate in England

Patients, who have advanced prostate, have a new option for controlling prostate cancer.

Darolutamide is a well tolerated, second generation drug for treatment of prostate cancer.

NICE ( National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) has analysed the drug efficacy and approved Darolutamide for routine clinical use.

Darolutamide need to used along the standard hormone injections which lower serum Testosterone.

Disclaimer: Please note – This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is NOT a expert medical opinion on various topics. This blog is purely for information research only and do check the sources where cited. Please DO consult your own doctor to discuss concerns and options, which are relevant and specific to you. The views expressed in this blog are NOT, in any way whatsoever, intended to be a substitute for professional advice. The blog is NOT previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed, in any way, by any organisation that the author is associated with. The views expressed in this blog likely represents some of the author’s personal views held at the time of drafting the blog and MAY CHANGE overtime, particularly when new evidence comes to light.

How to make prostate cancer patients better tolerate chemotherapy ?

In patients with incurable & widespread prostate cancer, one of the treatment option is a combination of three treatments (“TRIPLET THERAPY”)

This TRIPLET combination involves CHEMOTHERAPY given with HORMONE INJECTIONS and HORMONE TABLETS.

But many prostate cancer patients are frail and elderly with multiple other medical problems. So chemotherapy is not used in those patients and only Hormone tablets and injections are used .

The DOUBLET combination of HORMONE INJECTIONS and HORMONE TABLETS do a good very job indeed and frail patients are spared the nasty side effects from chemotherapy.

A study presented at the annual congress of European Society for Medical Oncology at BERLIN shows that if chemotherapy at a lower dose and is given every 2 weeks rather the typical every 3 weeks , then chemotherapy is better tolerated. The 2 weekly schedule resulted in statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction in the incidence of severe side effects.

References

  1. ARASAFE : ESMO daily reporter. Is less more for patients with genitourinary cancers? 17 Oct 2025 Christoph Oing
  2. ESMO . LBA92 – 3-weekly docetaxel 75 mg/m2 vs 2-weekly docetaxel 50 mg/m2 in combination with darolutamide + ADT in patients with mHSPC: Results from the randomised phase III ARASAFE trial

Disclaimer: Please note – This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is NOT a expert medical opinion on various topics. This blog is purely for information research only and do check the sources where cited. Please DO consult your own doctor to discuss concerns and options, which are relevant and specific to you. The views expressed in this blog are NOT, in any way whatsoever, intended to be a substitute for professional advice. The blog is NOT previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed, in any way, by any organisation that the author is associated with. The views expressed in this blog likely represents some of the author’s personal views held at the time of drafting the blog and MAY CHANGE overtime, particularly when new evidence comes to light.

Is radiotherapy to prostate useful even after the cancer has escaped from prostate?

Yes, it can be helpful but only in certain circumstances.

Former US President Biden is in the news this week and multiple media outlets reports that Biden is having  radiation therapy to prostate along with hormone therapy.

The news outlets also indicate that Biden has aggressive prostate cancer which has spread to the bones.

Any spread of prostate cancer to bones is classified as stage 4 prostate cancer.

If cancer has NOT spread outside the prostate, the combination of radiation and hormones could be curative .

But, with stage 4 prostate cancer, radiation is generally not curative. This is because once the cancer cells have spread, it is extremely difficult to eradicate those cancer cells permanently. 

A large UK trial ( STAMPEDE trials) found that “Radiotherapy to the prostate did NOT improve overall survival for unselected patients with newly diagnosed metastatic prostate cancer”

So if radiation does not improve survival, why did the oncologists offer radiation therapy to Biden?

Full medical details are not available and so it is difficult to give a definitive answer in Biden’s case.

There are few possibilities.

In the above mentioned STAMPEDE trial , in a smaller select group of patients, Radiation therapy did improve overall survival in men with a low metastatic burden. ( ie fewer cells have spread).

One can only speculate whether that’s been the case with regards to Mr Biden.

References

  1. CNN. Biden starts radiation therapy for aggressive form of prostate cancer. By Kevin Liptak, Fadel Allassa. UPDATED OCT 11, 2025, 11:28 AM PUBLISHED OCT 11, 2025, 10:01 AM
  2. BBC news. Biden receiving radiation therapy for prostate cancer. By Jaroslav Lukiv. Published 11 October 2025.
  3. Lancet. Stampede trial. Radiotherapy to the primary tumour for newly diagnosed, metastatic prostate cancer (STAMPEDE): a randomised controlled phase 3 trial.

Disclaimer: Please note – This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is NOT a expert medical opinion on various topics. This blog is purely for information research only and do check the sources where cited. Please DO consult your own doctor to discuss concerns and options, which are relevant and specific to you. The views expressed in this blog are NOT, in any way whatsoever, intended to be a substitute for professional advice. The blog is NOT previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed, in any way, by any organisation that the author is associated with. The views expressed in this blog likely represents some of the author’s personal views held at the time of drafting the blog and MAY CHANGE overtime, particularly when new evidence comes to light.

New treatment option for advanced prostate cancer patients

Advanced prostate patients were treated with hormone injections only in the past. When these advanced cancer patients were no longer responding to those hormone injections, tablets such as Enzalutamide , Apalutamide and Abiraterone were added to the hormone injections.

A new combination has become available for use in these patients.

Data presented at the ESMO Congress 2024 (Barcelona, 13–17 September) demonstrated the potential of combining Enzalutamide and Radium 223 injections.

The combination Enzalutamide and Radium 223 injections was better than Enzalutamide tablets alone.

The combination is likely to become a standard of care for these patients.

The only caveat is that a lot of advanced cancer patients are nowadays treated with hormone injections and tablets upfront. This trial data does not directly apply to these patients.

Disclaimer: Please note – This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is NOT a expert medical opinion on various topics. This blog is purely for information only and do check the sources where cited. Please DO consult your own doctor to discuss concerns and options relevant to you. The views expressed in this blog are NOT, in any way whatsoever, intended to be a substitute for professional advice. The blog is NOT previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed, in any way, by any organisation that the author is associated with. The views expressed in this blog likely represents some of the author’s personal views held at the time of drafting the blog and MAY CHANGE overtime, particularly when new evidence comes to light.