Old medicines, new hope for cancer patients?

Uganda’s cancer burden is growing, placing increasing pressure on patients, families and an already stretched healthcare system.

Every year, more than 37,000 Ugandans are diagnosed with cancer and nearly 28,000 die from the disease, according to recent estimates. Cervical cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths among women, while prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men.

Breast cancer, Kaposi sarcoma and oesophageal cancer continue to affect thousands more. Against this backdrop, an international scientific debate is attracting attention among researchers and patients alike.

At its centre are two inexpensive medicines better known for treating parasites than cancer: ivermectin and mebendazole. While neither drug is approved for cancer treatment, a growing body of laboratory research has prompted some scientists to ask whether they deserve closer investigation.

The discussion gained renewed visibility following comments by Dr Kathleen Ruddy, a cancer surgeon-turned-researcher, during an interview on American Thought Leaders. Dr Ruddy said her interest in ivermectin began after she encountered decades of scientific literature suggesting the drug may have biological effects beyond its traditional use against parasites.

“I was as astonished as anyone might be that ivermectin has potential as an anti-cancer agent,” she said.

For Uganda, the debate resonates because cancer treatment remains expensive and often difficult to access. The Uganda Cancer Institute received 8,372 new patients during the 2024/25 financial year, while children account for roughly 10 per cent of all cancer cases, with between 600 and 700 paediatric patients admitted annually.

Many patients face long journeys to treatment centres, delayed diagnoses and significant financial strain. Any discussion about potentially affordable therapies, therefore, attracts considerable public interest.

But researchers caution that interest should not be confused with proof. The scientific evidence cited in the debate comes largely from laboratory and pre-clinical studies. One study published in Cell Death & Disease reported that ivermectin interfered with the ability of prostate cancer cells to repair damaged DNA, leading to cell death.

Another study published in npj Breast Cancer found that the drug appeared to stimulate immune responses against breast tumours in laboratory models. Mebendazole has generated similar interest.

Researchers have reported anti-cancer activity in several pre-clinical studies involving breast, lung, prostate and blood cancers. A review published in ecancermedicalscience described the drug as an attractive candidate for repurposing because of its established safety profile, affordability and low toxicity.

Yet scientists stress that these findings remain preliminary. Laboratory results often fail to translate into successful treatments in human patients. That is why regulatory authorities and major cancer organisations require evidence from carefully designed clinical trials before any medicine can be recommended for routine cancer care.

Dr Ruddy acknowledges that limitation and repeatedly emphasises that ivermectin should not be viewed as a proven cure or as a replacement for established cancer treatments.

“The question is do thesemedications improve the survival of patients with cancer?” she asked during the interview.

That question remains unanswered. What has changed is the level of scientific attention being directed toward drug repurposing, the practice of exploring whether existing medicines can be used for new medical purposes.

Researchers argue that repurposed drugs may offer a faster and less expensive path to treatment development because their safety profiles are already well understood. For Uganda, where the burden of cancer continues to rise, the stakes are high.

The search for more effective and affordable treatments is not merely an academic exercise. It is a public health necessity. For now, health experts urge patients to continue relying on evidence-based medical care while researchers pursue further studies.

Whether ivermectin, mebendazole or other repurposed medicines eventually prove beneficial in cancer treatment remains uncertain. What is certain is that the scientific investigation continues. And for thousands of Ugandan families confronting cancer each year, that pursuit of answers may be one of the most important developments to watch.

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