Ivermectin and Cancer

Larry A. Law

Dr. John Campbell overviews an amazing study on YouTube. It involves a Chinese study conducted in 2021 that details the effect Ivermectin (IVM) has on regulating apoptosis (programmed cell death) and fighting cancer. Many medical doctors are aware that IVM fights parasitic diseases like river blindness, elephantiasis, scabies, and malaria. Some are aware of how IVM fights  viruses (dengue, ebola, flavivirus, and COVID-19). But few are aware of how potent it is against cancer. The discoverers of IVM, Japanese scientists Satoshi Omura and Irish scientist William C. Campbell, won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2015. 

Cancers Impacted by IVM

Study summary of the wide-range of cancers impacted for good by IVM:

Breast Cancer: This cancer involves a malignant tumor involving breast epithelial cells caused by multiple carcinogens. On average, worldwide, a new case is diagnosed every 18 seconds. After treatment with IVM, the proliferation of multiple breast cancer cell lines was significantly reduced. The mechanism involved inhibiting the Akt/mTOR and the Wnt pathways involved in apoptosis. For more details on apoptosis and these pathways, see chapter 29 in my book.

Digestive System Cancer: Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide. More than one million patients were diagnosed with gastric cancer in 2020. IVM inhibited the proliferation of multiple digestive cancers (gastric, colorectal, hepatocellular, etc.), as it promoted apoptosis by blocking the Wnt pathway. 

​Urinary System Cancer: Renal cell carcinoma is a fatal malignant tumor of the urinary system derived from renal tubular epithelial cells. Morbidity (death) has increased by an average of 2% annually worldwide and there are no effective treatments. Experiments confirm that IVM significantly inhibits the proliferation of five renal cell carcinoma lines without affecting or damaging normal kidney cells. In addition, IVM also fight prostate cancer lines. Prostate cancer involves prostate epithelial cells. Prostate cancer deaths are second only to lung cancer among men in Western countries.

Hematological Cancer: Leukemia is a type of malignant clonal disease (blood cancer) caused by abnormal hematopoietic stem cells (immature white blood cells). IVM inhibits tumor growth in a dose-dependent manner—the higher the dose, the more significant the response.

Reproductive System Cancer: Cervical cancer is a gynecological malignancy involving 530,000 new cases and 270,000 deaths worldwide each year. The majority of cervical cancers are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. IVM has proven to significantly inhibit these cancer cells and encourage apoptosis. In addition, ovarian cancer (which has a very poor therapeutic response—a 5-year survival rate of only 47%, were disrupted and cell apoptosis induced. Interestingly, IVM combined with Paclitaxel has a synergistic effect in in vivo experiments (in living organisms, not just test tubes) almost completely inhibiting tumor growth.

Brain Glioma: This is the most common cerebral tumor and approximately 100,000 people worldwide are diagnosed every year. Glioblastoma is the deadliest glioma with average survival time of only 14-17 months. Experiments demonstrated that IVM inhibited the proliferation of human glioblastoma U87 and T98 G cells in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, IVM had the potential to resist tumor angiogenesis (creation of blood vessels) and tumor metastasis.

Respiratory System Cancer: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (nose and throat) is a malignant tumor derived from epithelial cells of the nasopharyngeal mucosa. Lung cancer has the highest mortality among cancers. IVM blocks both nasopharyngeal and lung cancer cell development.

Melanoma: This cancer is a malignant skin tumor with a high mortality rate. IVM effectively inhibited melanoma activity.

Conclusion

IVM induces apoptosis in an incredible number of tumor cells. Apoptosis can be triggered by two activation pathways (as outlined in my book, chapter 29): the endogenous (inside the cell) endoplasmic reticulum stress/mitochondrial pathway and the exogenous (outside the cell via the glycocalyx) death receptor pathway. The decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential and the cytochrome c released from mitochondria into the cytoplasma was detected after the intervention of IVM in Hela cells (a line of human cells scientist use in laboratory experiments). Scientists concluded that IVM induces apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway which works to maintain cell stability (in addition to producing cell energy). IVM also exerts an antitumor effect through the autophagy pathway (recycling breakdown process).

The main take-way is that IVM is an incredible anticancer drug with very little toxicity. It should be investigated more fully for its incredible potential to cure cancer. The reason it is not being investigated is that it is not a new drug. It would be a repurposed drug involving very little income potential for pharmaceutical companies. This is a perfect example of how money (not the desire to cure disease) drives Big Pharma and the medical system. Solutions are out there and real potential for fighting cancer exists. How many more cancer patients have to suffer and die needlessly before the system changes?

For more information on cancer, see my book, There's An Elephant in the Room—Exposing Hidden Truths in the Science of Health.