Researchers have been exploring ivermectin as a possible cancer drug, but they emphasize that the findings are preliminary, and there have been no studies in humans that have found ivermectin to be safe and effective for people with cancer, either alone or in combination with other medications.
Ivermectin Research Is in Early Stages
Scientists suspect that there could be a role for ivermectin in cancer treatment but likely as a helper to cancer drugs with proven effectiveness, says Aaron Schimmer, MD, PhD, director of the research institute at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in the University Health Network in Toronto.
But Schimmer says that the research never advanced to human clinical trials. “It would be not wise, and probably irresponsible, for physicians to recommend the use of ivermectin based on research that has not been tested on humans,” he says.
The research found that, in mice, this drug combo triggered the production of a type of protective immune cell called a T cell, generating a response strong enough to stop tumor growth.
Lee is hopeful about a future in which ivermectin may be incorporated into immunotherapy cancer treatment. “As a stand-alone, ivermectin is not a miracle drug for cancer,” he says. “Our ongoing work is about optimizing the [drug] regimen. The way you give [the medications], the timing, the intervals — it all matters a lot. It’s not at all so simple that all you have to do is take the pills. It’s much more complex.”
Is There Any Harm in Taking Ivermectin for Cancer?
It’s understandable that someone with cancer will want to treat themselves with untested drugs if they don’t have access to appropriate medical care or if traditional therapies aren’t working.
“You can do more harm than good,” Schimmer says. “You may actually shorten life or impair quality of life by producing untoward side effects.”
“I think it’s highly unlikely that most responsible physicians would prescribe ivermectin off-label for malignancies where there’s really no evidence of effectiveness,” Schimmer says.
The Future of Cancer Treatment
Although human studies on ivermectin’s effect on cancer are still limited, people interested in contributing to research can look for opportunities to enroll in clinical trials.
Trials offer medically supervised ways to try promising experimental therapies for many different types of cancer, at every cancer stage.
Websites for the National Cancer Institute, the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, and the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group offer information on what’s involved in taking part in a trial, plus searchable databases of trials actively looking for participants.
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