Among cancers, which are the second leading cause of death worldwide, some are treated with chemo, radiation and surgery, but others resist those methods or don’t respond to them. The challenge is to find new approaches that can stimulate the immune system to attack tumours without having harmful side effects.
Fortunately, research is underway that may help. A study shows that a parasite first identified in dogs can prompt the body to recognise and destroy cancer cells. The research, which was highlighted at a Penn Vet symposium on Tuesday (see video below), could eventually be used to help people with a variety of cancers, including leukemia, lymphoma and osteosarcoma.
In 2016, Joe Tippens was told he had three months to live from late-stage lung cancer that had spread to his organs and bones. But the Edmond, Oklahoma man was determined to live long enough to meet his first grandson, who was due in a few months. So he searched the Internet for approaches outside conventional medicine. He started taking the spice curcumin, CBD oil and mega doses of vitamin E. And based on an article he saw on Facebook, he added fenbendazole to his regimen – a drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration to rid animals of parasites. It had never been tested in humans for treating cancer, but Tippens was willing to be his own guinea pig. dog dewormer cancer