Ivermectin as a cancer treatment? Why it’s starting to get more widespread attention
By Easton Martin | March 11, 2025
The National Institutes of Health recently announced that the National Cancer Institute has initiated intramural research to evaluate ivermectin as a potential cancer treatment. In a statement shared on the social media platform X, the agency described the drug as a macrocyclic lactone with a long record of safety in treating parasitic infections in humans and animals. The announcement noted the drug’s significant history, specifically the 2015 Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded for its discovery, and pointed to an increasing volume of research into its possible uses beyond its original indications.
Laboratory studies indicate that ivermectin interferes with several vital processes that cancer cells need to survive and proliferate. These mechanisms include the disruption of signaling pathways like Wnt, Akt/mTOR, and PAK1. Additionally, the drug appears to trigger programmed cell death through apoptosis and autophagy while simultaneously impairing mitochondrial function and the multidrug resistance pumps that often protect tumors from chemotherapy.
Scientists have observed that cancer cells and parasites share certain biological dependencies, such as specific methods for energy production and strategies for evading the immune system. By targeting these commonalities, ivermectin may inhibit tumor growth without the implication that cancer is caused by a parasite. If Ivermectin is indeed a viable treatment for certain types of cancer, it is due to the shared mechanisms with parasites, it does not at all indicate that cancer is in any way caused by parasites on a large scale.
The news sparked immediate and widespread engagement from the medical community and the public. Many physicians and patients expressed support for the initiative, with some advocating for over-the-counter access to the drug to simplify its use for those in need.
