There's a lot of information as well as misinformation circulating about ivermectin and the use of de-wormers as a treatment for cancer. They are not alternative treatments. They are drugs to treat river blindness (onchocerciasis), intestinal infection from threadworms (strongyloidiasis), and other kinds of worm infections. They do not clear or cure cancer.
There are things that you can do to reduce the risk of cancer or the risk of recurrence, like healthy living with a balanced diet and exercise, etc. But note my careful use of words. This "may reduce the risk". Unfortunately, even if we do everything "right", cancer can still strike since there are many risk factors we can't change like aging and genetics.
At the risk of overwhelming you, here are a couple more helpful resources:
Alternative medicine is using a therapeutic approach instead of a conventional treatment such as chemotherapy and surgery and radiation. So, the major differentiator is to use it in a synergistic way rather than choosing alternative medicine and foregoing conventional treatment."
I've noticed that some people elsewhere on social media etc refer to ivermectin and other de-worming drugs as holistic or alternative medicine. However, these drugs are not holistic. They are conventional drugs developed to used to treat worm infections. They works by interfering with the nerve and muscle functions of worms, by paralyzing and killing them.
Ivermectin is being studied for possible additional effects. This is referred to as repurposing a drug. Repurposed drugs are existing medications initially developed for other diseases but now being explored for potential anticancer properties. They might be used on their own or combined with standard therapies.
There is some early research into whether Ivermectin might help in some situations, but
1. Most early research doesn't pan out, and
2. Even if it does (unlikely, but possible), it will be only for very specific cancer situations, at specific frequencies, in specific formulations and doses, none of which we know yet.
Don't make yourself a guinea pig for uncontrolled experiments, because there's just one you, and you don't get a do-over if something goes wrong.
@kreamks - I’m sorry if you’ve run out of conventional treatment options and looking for something else.
If you go on Facebook or Reddit you’ll find many people there who ingest dewormer for off label purposes. Many who passionately believe in it.
It’s still not approved by the FDA under the current administration for use as a cancer treatment, and no clinical trials in humans have proved it to be effective in treating cancer.
I asked my oncologist about it as it was being used by many on an unregulated, free for all app set up by a group of medical professionals for mutual support which I joined for a brief while. My oncologist told me to stay away from it so as not to potentially damage my liver or interfere with my chemotherapy and immunotherapy regime.
Whatever you do, please make sure you discuss anything you wish to ingest with your oncologist
Men who take risky treatments for prostate cancer help (unintentionally) prove the old adage "men who have prostate cancer usually die of something else."
Not me personally, but a friend did. It didn't do anything for her cancer, but it did give her blurry vision so she wisely quit taking it.
It's easy to go down misinformation rabbit holes these days. Stick to proven science.
I thought about taking it to prevent recurrence. I have friends that absolutely swear by it so I spoke to my neighbor who is a retired DVM. I asked him what he thinks about humans using ivermectin and his reply was “it’s for animals not humans!” So my hopes were that he was going to prescribe me some for my dogs and tell me how much to take but his response made me forget about using it 🤷♂️
MOJO
I thought about taking it to prevent recurrence. I have friends that absolutely swear by it so I spoke to my neighbor who is a retired DVM. I asked him what he thinks about humans using ivermectin and his reply was “it’s for animals not humans!” So my hopes were that he was going to prescribe me some for my dogs and tell me how much to take but his response made me forget about using it 🤷♂️
MOJO
@mojo244 Thanks for sharing that, and I'm glad your neighbour gave you some good advice. You're better off hanging up a horseshoe or rubbing a lucky penny to prevent recurrence — those might not help, but at least they won't do your body any more harm.
From Google: "McQueen underwent a controversial program developed by William Donald Kelley, a former orthodontist who had his license revoked in 1976."
"Many scientists regarded Dr. Kelly’s methods as quackery. Dr. Kelly’s spin on Gerson Therapy was based on the belief that all cancers stem from a lack of a pancreatic enzyme. This method of treatment centered around unorthodox methods, including: ...
"The treatment also included a daily dose of laetrile, a cancer drug created from the pits of apricots. The drug was never approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). The National Cancer Institute (NCI) described its use as ineffective and dangerous. In later studies, it was shown this type of therapy actually worsened the patient’s quality of life. As McQueen sought out this controversial treatment in Mexico, ...
"McQueen’s supposed recovery was short-lived. Although his American doctors previously warned McQueen that his heart wasn’t strong enough for surgery, his new doctors operated anyway. The surgery itself went smoothly. The doctors removed some tumors from his neck. But, McQueen died from cardiac arrest the next day. He was 50 years old."
To quote a very old saying, "The patient died, but the operation was a success."
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Hello @kreamks1,
There's a lot of information as well as misinformation circulating about ivermectin and the use of de-wormers as a treatment for cancer. They are not alternative treatments. They are drugs to treat river blindness (onchocerciasis), intestinal infection from threadworms (strongyloidiasis), and other kinds of worm infections. They do not clear or cure cancer.
This is what Mayo Clinic experts would like you to know:
- Mayo Clinic on use of ivermectin or other dewormers to treat cancer https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/about-connect/newsfeed-post/mayo-clinic-on-use-of-ivermectin-or-other-dewormers-to-treat-cancer/
There are things that you can do to reduce the risk of cancer or the risk of recurrence, like healthy living with a balanced diet and exercise, etc. But note my careful use of words. This "may reduce the risk". Unfortunately, even if we do everything "right", cancer can still strike since there are many risk factors we can't change like aging and genetics.
At the risk of overwhelming you, here are a couple more helpful resources:
Guidance from Mayo Clinic experts that might help your evaluation of alternative therapies:
- Natural vs. safe: Why the two aren't the same https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/complementary-alternative-medicine/in-depth/natural-vs-safe-health-remedies/art-20587690
Another helpful website for finding evidence-based info about herbs and supplements is Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) complementary therapies database:
– Search About Herbs (cancer specific) https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/diagnosis-treatment/symptom-management/integrative-medicine/herbs/search
Alternative medicine is using a therapeutic approach instead of a conventional treatment such as chemotherapy and surgery and radiation. So, the major differentiator is to use it in a synergistic way rather than choosing alternative medicine and foregoing conventional treatment."
I've noticed that some people elsewhere on social media etc refer to ivermectin and other de-worming drugs as holistic or alternative medicine. However, these drugs are not holistic. They are conventional drugs developed to used to treat worm infections. They works by interfering with the nerve and muscle functions of worms, by paralyzing and killing them.
Ivermectin is being studied for possible additional effects. This is referred to as repurposing a drug. Repurposed drugs are existing medications initially developed for other diseases but now being explored for potential anticancer properties. They might be used on their own or combined with standard therapies.
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14 ReactionsThere is some early research into whether Ivermectin might help in some situations, but
1. Most early research doesn't pan out, and
2. Even if it does (unlikely, but possible), it will be only for very specific cancer situations, at specific frequencies, in specific formulations and doses, none of which we know yet.
Don't make yourself a guinea pig for uncontrolled experiments, because there's just one you, and you don't get a do-over if something goes wrong.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
5 ReactionsNot me!
@kreamks - I’m sorry if you’ve run out of conventional treatment options and looking for something else.
If you go on Facebook or Reddit you’ll find many people there who ingest dewormer for off label purposes. Many who passionately believe in it.
It’s still not approved by the FDA under the current administration for use as a cancer treatment, and no clinical trials in humans have proved it to be effective in treating cancer.
I asked my oncologist about it as it was being used by many on an unregulated, free for all app set up by a group of medical professionals for mutual support which I joined for a brief while. My oncologist told me to stay away from it so as not to potentially damage my liver or interfere with my chemotherapy and immunotherapy regime.
Whatever you do, please make sure you discuss anything you wish to ingest with your oncologist
Wishing you every success with your treatment
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Helpful -
Hug
7 ReactionsMen who take risky treatments for prostate cancer help (unintentionally) prove the old adage "men who have prostate cancer usually die of something else."
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Helpful -
Hug
5 ReactionsNot me personally, but a friend did. It didn't do anything for her cancer, but it did give her blurry vision so she wisely quit taking it.
It's easy to go down misinformation rabbit holes these days. Stick to proven science.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
10 ReactionsI thought about taking it to prevent recurrence. I have friends that absolutely swear by it so I spoke to my neighbor who is a retired DVM. I asked him what he thinks about humans using ivermectin and his reply was “it’s for animals not humans!” So my hopes were that he was going to prescribe me some for my dogs and tell me how much to take but his response made me forget about using it 🤷♂️
MOJO
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3 Reactions@mojo244 Thanks for sharing that, and I'm glad your neighbour gave you some good advice. You're better off hanging up a horseshoe or rubbing a lucky penny to prevent recurrence — those might not help, but at least they won't do your body any more harm.
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Hug
4 ReactionsRemember the tragic story of Steve McQueen.
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1 Reaction@readandlearn What ever are you saying about Steve?
@quimbie
From Google: "McQueen underwent a controversial program developed by William Donald Kelley, a former orthodontist who had his license revoked in 1976."
https://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/steve-mcqueen-and-mesothelioma-an-actor-and-veterans-last-battle/ -- Quotes:
"Many scientists regarded Dr. Kelly’s methods as quackery. Dr. Kelly’s spin on Gerson Therapy was based on the belief that all cancers stem from a lack of a pancreatic enzyme. This method of treatment centered around unorthodox methods, including: ...
"The treatment also included a daily dose of laetrile, a cancer drug created from the pits of apricots. The drug was never approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). The National Cancer Institute (NCI) described its use as ineffective and dangerous. In later studies, it was shown this type of therapy actually worsened the patient’s quality of life. As McQueen sought out this controversial treatment in Mexico, ...
"McQueen’s supposed recovery was short-lived. Although his American doctors previously warned McQueen that his heart wasn’t strong enough for surgery, his new doctors operated anyway. The surgery itself went smoothly. The doctors removed some tumors from his neck. But, McQueen died from cardiac arrest the next day. He was 50 years old."
To quote a very old saying, "The patient died, but the operation was a success."
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
4 Reactions