The benzimidazole compound, fenben for cancer, has recently been demonstrated to have antitumor effects in human NSCLC and colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. [1] However, little scientific proof has been provided on the mechanisms of action and applications of fenben for cancer.
Social media is a powerful tool that has been constructively used to disseminate information, but it may also be a source of misleading medical information. It is easy for nonmedical individuals to spread complex medical facts using social media, and it is difficult for physicians to verify the accuracy of such information.
Consequently, patients are exposed to unproven information and may receive harmful treatment. To identify the source of the false information on fenben for cancer, we conducted a focus group interview (FGI) with 21 lung cancer patients who self-administered fenbendazole. The participants were informed that the aim of this FGI was to evaluate their perceptions about fenbendazole, and they were asked to answer a semi-structured questionnaire. The questionnaire had three items: 1) acquisition channel of general cancer information, 2) false information on fenbendazole, and 3) their perception toward this information.
We found that fenbendazole induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in CRC cells. Inhibition of tubulin polymerization inhibits mitosis through the phosphorylation and proteasome-mediated degradation of cyclin B1. Fenbendazole also blocks cell cycle progression by blocking the synthesis of a peptide required for p53 activation. Its cytotoxic and cytostatic activities are augmented in p53-deficient cells, but not in p53 wild-type cells.
