US-based Bangladeshi cancer researcher Professor Dr Abul Kalam M Shamsuddin says decades of research suggest that inositol hexaphosphate, or IP6, a naturally occurring compound found in grains and other plant-based foods, has potential in cancer prevention and treatment, but stresses that rigorous human clinical trials are still needed to establish its clinical effectiveness.
Shamsuddin, a physician, pathologist and cancer researcher at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said laboratory and animal studies indicate that IP6 may act differently from conventional cancer therapies by influencing abnormal cell behaviour rather than simply destroying malignant cells.
He is now working with a local team to explore introducing a properly formulated IP6 product in Bangladesh, which he estimates could cost around Tk3,000–Tk4,000 for a month’s supply.
In an exclusive interview with Dhaka Tribune’s Chief Reporter Ali Asif Shawon, Shamsuddin discussed the science behind IP6, its potential use alongside conventional therapies, affordability and why cancer prevention deserves greater attention.
Dhaka Tribune: Why does treatment overshadow prevention in cancer?
Prof Dr Abul Kalam M Shamsuddin: Once cancer spreads, treatment becomes an effort to catch up with the disease. Chemotherapy and radiation mainly destroy cancer cells or stop them from multiplying, but they can also affect rapidly dividing healthy cells.
Prevention research is difficult because proving that something prevents cancer can require studies lasting 15 to 30 years, involving enormous resources and patience.
Commercial factors also matter. Pharmaceutical companies have greater incentives to develop patentable medicines than naturally occurring substances that are difficult to protect commercially.
What is IP6 and how did you become interested in its potential against cancer?
IP6 stands for inositol hexaphosphate, also known as phytic acid or phytate. It occurs naturally in rice, corn, cereals and other plant-based foods.
It was traditionally considered an “anti-nutrient” because it can bind minerals such as calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron. But after reviewing the scientific literature, I became interested in its biological properties.
We began asking whether this natural compound could influence abnormal cell growth. That became the foundation of our research, treating IP6 as a biologically active molecule rather than simply a dietary substance.
How does IP6 differ from chemotherapy or radiation?
Conventional therapies aim to kill malignant cells or prevent them from dividing. At therapeutic doses, they may also damage normal cells.
Our research suggests IP6 works differently. At the pharmacological doses studied, rather than simply killing cancer cells, it can encourage them to differentiate and adopt more normal behaviour.
Cancer is fundamentally a disease of abnormal cellular behaviour. If malignant growth can be slowed and more normal characteristics restored, there may be another way of controlling the disease beyond relying solely on cell destruction.
How strong is the scientific evidence?
There is substantial laboratory and animal research, including peer-reviewed studies across different cancer models. My laboratory has produced more than 30 publications on IP6.
Animal studies have associated IP6 with reduced tumour development, including in colon cancer models. The US National Cancer Institute also screened IP6 against a wide range of cancer cell models and found inhibitory activity that was not limited to one cancer type.
But laboratory and animal research does not prove clinical effectiveness in humans. It demonstrates biological activity and provides a basis for further investigation. We still need well-designed human clinical trials.
Can IP6 be used with chemotherapy or radiation?
Laboratory research suggests IP6 may work synergistically with conventional chemotherapy. We have also investigated whether it can help protect normal tissues and preserve immune and blood cell function during treatment.
Some experimental findings and clinical reports suggest patients using IP6 alongside conventional treatment may experience fewer or less severe side effects.
But patients should not stop chemotherapy or radiation and replace them with IP6. Treatment must depend on the cancer type, stage, the patient’s health and advice from qualified oncologists.
Which cancers have shown the strongest response in your research?
IP6 has shown effects across the cancer types tested, while aggressive and fast-growing cancers have shown particularly rapid responses. Experimental models have shown responsiveness in liver, colon, lung and breast cancers.
Can people get enough IP6 simply by eating grains?
No one should assume eating raw grains is equivalent to taking a pharmacological IP6 preparation.
IP6 is a specific chemical compound. For therapeutic use, it needs to be properly extracted, purified, tested and formulated. It can be produced as capsules or powder, but purity and composition are essential for safety and efficacy.
The dosage used in our research is around one gram per day, although an appropriate amount depends on the formulation and individual requirements.
How affordable could it be for Bangladesh?
IP6 could be considerably less expensive because the raw materials are widely available. In Bangladesh, a properly formulated month’s supply might cost around Tk3,000–Tk4,000, depending on production and formulation.
Some cancer medicines cost several thousand taka per tablet or dose. But treatment costs vary greatly depending on the cancer, medicine and treatment protocol, so this cannot be treated as a universal comparison.
What are your plans for introducing IP6 in Bangladesh?
We are working with a local team and discussing possible cooperation with pharmaceutical companies in Bangladesh. Our objective is not simply to introduce another product. Any preparation must be properly formulated and meet appropriate quality standards.
My motivation is public health. Cancer has enormous emotional, physical and financial consequences for families. If research can contribute to prevention or make treatment more affordable, the social value could be significant.
I want Bangladesh to participate in the wider international effort to investigate affordable approaches to cancer prevention and treatment.
What do you think is missing from the global fight against cancer?
We need to look beyond simply killing cancer cells. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy and targeted therapies are important, and I am not suggesting abandoning them.
But prevention and cellular differentiation deserve greater attention. We need to understand why normal cells become malignant, whether their behaviour can be changed and whether intervention is possible before cancer advances. That is the scientific question IP6 research is helping us explore.
What would you tell cancer patients and their families who read about IP6?
First, do not lose hope. Second, do not abandon established treatment because of something you read in an interview.
Cancer is not one disease. There are many types, stages and biological characteristics. Patients should consult their oncologists and make informed decisions.
Our research suggests IP6 has biological activity against cancer, but rigorous clinical studies are still necessary to determine how it should be used, when it should be used and which patients might benefit.
After decades of research, what is your ultimate goal?
Prevention, affordability and better outcomes. We need to address cancer before it becomes advanced. If we can prevent some cancers, detect them earlier and control abnormal cells without harming normal tissues, we could change how we approach the disease.
That has motivated my work for decades. If Bangladesh can contribute to global scientific efforts while making useful interventions affordable for its people, it would mean a great deal to me.
