What’s the buzz around GLP-1s and cancer with Samantha Murrell and Rob Swanda, PhD? Episode 56.

What’s the buzz around GLP-1s and cancer with Samantha Murrell and Rob Swanda, PhD? Episode 56.

The Metabolic Blueprint: Weighing the Evidence on GLP-1s and Cancer Survival In this highly anticipated episode of Cracking Cancer, host Dr. Kyle Concannon sits down with patient advocate Samantha Murrell and science communicator Rob Swanda, PhD, to tackle the most talked-about presentation from the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting: the intersection of GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro) and oncology. Samantha reveals that she has been using an off-label microdose of a GLP-1 alongside her targeted therapy for Stage IV HER2-mutant lung cancer, not for weight loss, but to target systemic, chronic inflammation. The trio breaks down large-scale real-world data tracking over 25,000 patients, which uncovered a striking associative signal: patients taking GLP-1s alongside traditional targeted therapies were twice as likely to be alive at five years compared to matched cohorts. Dr. Kyle and Rob dissect what this means from a biochemical perspective. They separate mere association from actual causation, explore why chronic inflammation can act as a shield for tumors, and detail the strict clinical rules patients must follow—such as preserving lean muscle mass to prevent cachexia—if they choose to discuss these metabolically active compounds with their oncology teams.   Key Takeaways: 1. The Staggering ASCO Survival Signal 2. Chronic Inflammation vs. Acute Immune Response 3. The Metformin Connection 4. The Critical Muscle Mass Warning 5. The "Healthy Baseline" Confounder   Want to get more involved with cancer research and support the podcast? Visit the link below: ⬇️ (All proceeds go strictly towards furthering cancer research and supporting this podcast) Giving.CU.EDU/CrackingCancer [http://giving.cu.edu/CrackingCancer]    Chapters: (00:00) Sugar Feeds Cancer (01:57) Why GLP-1s Are Buzzing (05:15) Association vs Causation (07:06) Patient Concerns and Anecdotes (10:54) Inflammation Theory and ASCO Data (15:22) Evidence Review and Metformin Link (21:12) Glucose Control Mythbusting (28:00) What GLP-1 Drugs Are (30:36) Next Gen GLP-1s (31:31) Long Acting and Oral Options (32:07) ASCO Lung Cancer Signal (36:23) Interpreting Retrospective Data (39:13) Why Samantha Tried It (40:14) Absorption Theory and Dosing (41:28) Early Side Effects and Adaptation (43:01) Microdosing Caveats (45:14) Autoimmune and Histamine Effects (50:55) Broader Cancer Survival Data (53:35) Practical Safety Guidance (56:34) What We Still Dont Know   To find out more about supporting the show and research endeavors, please go to the following website: www.crackingcancer.org [https://www.crackingcancer.org/]   Attributions The music track - Progression Pulse - is provided by Denys Brodovskyi through the Attribution 4.0 International License   X: (1) Cracking Cancer Podcast (@Cracking_Cancer) / X [https://x.com/cracking_cancer] IG: Cracking Cancer (@crackingcancerpodcast) • Instagram photos and videos [https://www.instagram.com/crackingcancerpodcast/]

Empowerment through scientific communication with Dr. Rob Swanda. Episode 55.

In this special behind-the-scenes episode of Cracking Cancer, host Dr. Kyle Concannon sits down for a candid, scientist-to-scientist conversation with science communicator Rob Swanda, PhD. Stepping away from the traditional patient-interview format, Kyle and Rob pull back the curtain on their own medical paths to explore a profound systemic challenge: the widening chasm between complex oncology research and the everyday patient. Rob shares his viral origin story, which began during his doctoral work at Cornell studying mRNA therapeutics for kidney cancer. When the pandemic hit, a simple explanatory video made for his own family skyrocketed into a full-time mission to demystify laboratory science. Kyle shares a deeply personal, never-before-told story about growing up in a low-healthcare-literacy household in rural Vermont, navigating his brother’s rare genetic liver disorder, and the decades of silent anxiety his mother carried simply because she lacked the vocabulary to ask her doctors the right questions. Together, they deconstruct the broken incentives of modern academic publishing, the flaws of the journal "impact factor" business, and how breaking down elitist medical jargon empowers patients to reclaim control over their own clinical destinies.   Key Takeaways: 1. The Widening Scientific Chasm 2. The "Whiteboard" Anchor for Clinical Care 3. The Fragmented Reality of Learning 4. The Business of the Peer-Review "Paywall" 5. Empathy as a Clinical Metric   Want to get more involved with cancer research and support the podcast? Visit the link below: ⬇️ (All proceeds go strictly towards furthering cancer research and supporting this podcast) Giving.CU.EDU/CrackingCancer [http://giving.cu.edu/CrackingCancer]    Chapters: (00:00) Welcome to Cracking Cancer (00:22) Why Those mRNA Videos Took Off (09:55) How to Explain Complex Science (13:35) Empowering Patients and Caregivers (18:37) Many Ways to Communicate Science (23:08) Finding Credible Information (25:09) Peer Review and Impact Factor (35:05) AI as a Learning Tool (40:22) Kyle’s Personal Why (50:42) Advice and Wrap Up   To find out more about supporting the show and research endeavors, please go to the following website: www.crackingcancer.org [https://www.crackingcancer.org/]   Attributions The music track - Progression Pulse - is provided by Denys Brodovskyi through the Attribution 4.0 International License   X: (1) Cracking Cancer Podcast (@Cracking_Cancer) / X [https://x.com/cracking_cancer] IG: Cracking Cancer (@crackingcancerpodcast) • Instagram photos and videos [https://www.instagram.com/crackingcancerpodcast/]

Does Fenbendazole Target Cancer with Dr. Rob Swanda and Samantha Murrell. Episode 54.

Deconstructing Fenbendazole: Scaffolding, Solvents, and the "Joe Tippens" Protocol In this highly requested follow-up to their Ivermectin discussion, host Dr. Kyle Concannon, patient advocate Samantha Murrell, and science communicator Rob Swanda, PhD, touch the hot stove of alternative oncology once again. This time, they dive deep into Fenbendazole (commonly called "Fenben"), an antiparasitic veterinary drug that has exploded in popularity across cancer forums due to the viral "Joe Tippens Protocol." Samantha opens up about her personal choice to take Fenbendazole secretly for eight months alongside conventional chemotherapy, providing an unfiltered look at the immense "what if" pressure patients face behind closed doors. The conversation shifts to rigorous biochemical scrutiny as Dr. Kyle and Rob break down what the drug actually does inside a petri dish and a living organism. They expose the fascinating irony of alternative health branding: while Fenbendazole is frequently marketed online as a "natural, holistic alternative to harsh toxins," it is completely synthetic. Conversely, the very chemotherapies it seeks to replace are the ones derived directly from nature. Moving step-by-step through peer-reviewed data, they analyze how this compound disrupts cellular architecture, why its therapeutic thresholds carry hidden toxicities, and how missing variables in animal models can obscure the difference between a true anti-tumor signal and a general cellular poison.   Key Takeaways: 1. The Microtubule Mechanism (Chemo in Disguise) 2. The P53 Gene Context 3. The "Healthy Tissue" Toxicity Flaw 4. Flawed Mouse Models & Missing Data 5. Association vs. Causation   Want to get more involved with cancer research and support the podcast? Visit the link below: ⬇️ (All proceeds go strictly towards furthering cancer research and supporting this podcast) Giving.CU.EDU/CrackingCancer [http://giving.cu.edu/CrackingCancer]    For more information on Fenbendazole, check out Rob's info-packed video below! https://youtu.be/DDVko6G84wo   Want to see the data yourself? Check out the actual papers below: Fenbendazole acts as a moderate microtubule destabilizing agent and causes cancer cell death by modulating multiple cellular pathways https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6085345/ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6085345/] Fenbendazole Exhibits Differential Anticancer Effects In Vitro and In Vivo in Models of Mouse Lymphoma https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/45/11/560 [https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/45/11/560]    Chapters: (00:00) Why Fenbendazole Now (01:38) Samantha Tries Fenben (02:09) Joe Tippens Protocol Buzz (04:04) How She Took It (06:14) Social Pressure and Disclosure (08:23) What Fenbendazole Is (11:17) Microtubules and Cancer Logic (13:29) Natural Versus Synthetic Debate (17:25) Preclinical Evidence Deep Dive (19:31) Mouse Study Caveats (25:57) Safety Unknowns and Next Steps (30:39) Paper Rigor Check (31:42) Dose Response Reality (33:15) P53 Dependency Explained (38:25) Healthy Cell Toxicity (40:32) Missing Controls Bias (42:28) Second Study Lymphoma (44:42) Why Immune Free Mice (49:30) How Strong Is Evidence (54:38) Anecdotes Versus Causation (57:00) Mechanism Gaps Takeaways (59:33) Final Verdict Sign Off   To find out more about supporting the show and research endeavors, please go to the following website: www.crackingcancer.org [https://www.crackingcancer.org/]   Attributions The music track - Progression Pulse - is provided by Denys Brodovskyi through the Attribution 4.0 International License   X: (1) Cracking Cancer Podcast (@Cracking_Cancer) / X [https://x.com/cracking_cancer] IG: Cracking Cancer (@crackingcancerpodcast) • Instagram photos and videos [https://www.instagram.com/crackingcancerpodcast/]

Challenges of Rural Cancer Care with Zack Schroeder and J.J. Singleton. Episode 53.

In this critical episode of Cracking Cancer, host Dr. Kyle Concannon reunites with co-host JJ Singleton and welcomes Zach Schroeder, a first-year intern at Wake Forest and the founder of the Rural Cancer Institute. Zach sharing his harrowing personal journey as a 21-year-old diagnosed with Stage III melanoma in a tiny Kansas town anchors the conversation. To receive life-saving surgeries and radiation at MD Anderson, Zach faced an 1100-mile round trip, waking up at 2:00 AM on treatment days to fly across state lines—all while balancing his junior year of college. The trio dives into the staggering statistics defining the "Rural Cancer Gap." They explore the reality that while cancer mortality is declining nationwide, urban survival rates are improving significantly faster than rural ones. From local hospital closures and severe screening shortages (like having only seven providers to perform colonoscopies across a 14-county region in western North Carolina) to systemic medical licensing laws that legally prohibit academic oncologists from billing for telehealth across state lines, this episode exposes the bureaucratic and geographic barriers holding back rural survival. But it also highlights a powerful cultural truth: the profound community support unique to small-town medicine, and how model frameworks like the "Rural Oncology Home" are blending high-tier academic decision-making with local, close-to-home infusion care.   Key Takeaways: 1. The Widening Rural Mortality Gap 2. The Telehealth "Billing Wall" 3. The "Rural Oncology Home" Model 4. Severe Screening Deserts 5. The Sibling/Caregiver Strain   Want to get more involved with cancer research and support the podcast? Visit the link below: ⬇️ (All proceeds go strictly towards furthering cancer research and supporting this podcast) Giving.CU.EDU/CrackingCancer [http://giving.cu.edu/CrackingCancer]    Chapters: (00:00) Zach Melanoma Journey (08:16) JJ Colon Cancer Travel (10:34) Rural Care Barriers Data (16:35) Rural Cancer Gap Explained (20:45) Rural Oncology Home Model (25:18) Telehealth and Licensing (39:41) Isolation and Culture Shock (49:45) Solutions Training and Teams (53:20) Second Opinions and Support (56:22) Final Advice and Wrap   To find out more about supporting the show and research endeavors, please go to the following website: www.crackingcancer.org [https://www.crackingcancer.org/]   Attributions The music track - Progression Pulse - is provided by Denys Brodovskyi through the Attribution 4.0 International License   X: (1) Cracking Cancer Podcast (@Cracking_Cancer) / X [https://x.com/cracking_cancer] IG: Cracking Cancer (@crackingcancerpodcast) • Instagram photos and videos [https://www.instagram.com/crackingcancerpodcast/]

Does Ivermectin Target Cancer with Dr. Rob Swanda and Samantha Murrell. Episode 52.

Touching the Hot Stove: The Truth About Ivermectin and Cancer In this high-stakes episode of Cracking Cancer, host Dr. Kyle Concannon is joined by patient advocate Samantha Morrell and biochemist Rob, PhD, to dissect the data behind the Ivermectin "miracle cure" narrative. Samantha candidly shares her personal experience with the drug, including the social pressure that led her to try it and the subsequent disease progression she experienced while on it. The conversation moves from social media anecdotes to the hard science of the petri dish. Rob explains the actual mechanism of Ivermectin as an antiparasitic and why the "cancer is a parasite" theory is biologically incorrect. They deconstruct the preclinical studies often cited by proponents, revealing a massive dosing gap: the concentrations required to kill cancer cells in a lab are 10 to 100 times higher than what the human body can safely tolerate. From the dangers of DMSO as a solvent to the ICU-level risks of high-dose toxicity, this episode provides a grounded, peer-reviewed reality check for patients navigating the "what if" pressure of alternative therapies.   Key Takeaways: 1. The Dosing Disconnect 2. Cancer is Not a Parasite 3. The Danger of "False Hope" Time-Loss 4. The "Immune Cold to Hot" Myth 5. Repurposing vs. Folklore   Want to get more involved with cancer research and support the podcast? Visit the link below: ⬇️ (All proceeds go strictly towards furthering cancer research and supporting this podcast) Giving.CU.EDU/CrackingCancer [http://giving.cu.edu/CrackingCancer]    Want to learn more about Ivermectin? Watch Rob's quick explainer video in the link below! https://youtu.be/gpaowjmeiLc   Chapters: 00:00 Why Ivermectin Now 02:35 Samantha Tried It 04:55 Pressure and Regret 06:28 What Ivermectin Is 12:32 Why Trials Matter 20:31 Doses and Toxicity 29:47 Does It Kill Cells 34:31 DMSO As Alternative Therapy 38:26 Toxicity And Neuro Risks 43:18 Glutamate Cancer Metabolism 46:41 Why Petri Dish Misleads 51:29 If It Worked Pharma Would Pivot 53:36 Anecdotes And Missing Case Reports 55:41 Self Dosing And False Hope 57:44 Wrap Up And Key Takeaways   To find out more about supporting the show and research endeavors, please go to the following website: www.crackingcancer.org [https://www.crackingcancer.org/]   Attributions The music track - Progression Pulse - is provided by Denys Brodovskyi through the Attribution 4.0 International License   X: (1) Cracking Cancer Podcast (@Cracking_Cancer) / X [https://x.com/cracking_cancer] IG: Cracking Cancer (@crackingcancerpodcast) • Instagram photos and videos [https://www.instagram.com/crackingcancerpodcast/]