Last update June 2024

What are some top researched repurposed medications for treating Cancer?

What are some of the top researched repurposed medications for treating cancer, and what have studies shown about their effectiveness?

Answered by

Lisa Miller - Patient Advocate

Metformin: Usually used for diabetes. In the mid-2000s, researchers found that patients taking this drug had a significantly lowered risk for breast cancer.
Celebrex: A popular osteoarthritis drug. Celebrex has also been shown to decrease the risk of additional polyp formation in people who’ve had colon cancer in the past.
ATRA: All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has historically been used to treat severe acne. But researchers found that when ATRA is combined with chemotherapy, the drug combination significantly decreases the chance of relapse among leukemia patients in remission.
Low Dose Naltrexone: Originally used to help narcotic dependents who have stopped taking narcotics to stay drug-free. LDN is showing promising results for people with primary cancer of the bladder, breast, liver, lung, lymph nodes, colon and rectum
Mebendazole (MBZ)/ Vermox: is a medicine usually used to worm infestation in humans . It has shown promise in lab studies for treating various cancers, like brain, colon, breast, pancreatic, and thyroid cancers. A recent trial found that adults with brain tumors tolerated MBZ well. It works in several ways, like disrupting cell structures, stopping new blood vessel growth, causing cancer cell death, and keeping cancer stem cells from spreading.
Dipyridamole: The original purpose of Dipyridamole is to prevent the formation of blood clots following a heart valve replacement. Today, it serves as an effective treatment for reducing tumor size, metastasis, progression, and inflammation in cancer patients.
Statins: Some 40 million Americans take statins to lower their cholesterol. Now, a growing body of evidence suggests these drugs may also protect against colorectal cancer, prostate cancer and several other cancers.
Ivermectin: Ivermectin tablets are approved by the FDA to treat people with intestinal strongyloidiasis and onchocerciasis, two conditions caused by parasitic worms. Ivermectin has powerful antitumor effects, including the inhibition of proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenic activity, in a variety of cancer cells.
Doxycycline: is an antibiotic commonly used to treat bacterial and atypical infections such as Lymes, malaria, and rickettsial diseases. However, studies have shown Doxycycline may disrupt the formation of new blood vessels that tumors need to grow and spread. Additionally, Doxycycline inhibits enzymes called matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that cancer cells use to break down surrounding tissues and invade other areas.

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