The B-vitamin inositol and its derivative IP-6 (inositol hexaphosphate) are in the soil, in the seeds (e.g. rice, corn, soy), and in all mammalian cells. The relationship between IP-6 and Inositol is like the chicken and the egg - one is derived from the other. Depicted at left are two mice harboring human liver cancer. The mouse on the upper panel shows complete regression of the tumor 1 week after IP-6 treatment (40 mg/kg/day; right frame), whereas within the same period, the tumor in its sibling on the lower panel has grown 2-3 fold in size (right frame) [Anticancer Research 18: 4091-4096,1998].
 

Several clinical studies of the efficacy of IP6 + Inositol were presented at the 7th International Conference of Anticancer Research in Corfu, Greece, October 25-30, 2004. These included cancers of the colon, lungs and breast. Patients were treated with IP-6 + Inositol (8-24 gm/day) either with or without concurrent standard chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. It was reported that IP-6 + Inositol reduced the chemo- and radiotherapy induced side-effects and acted synergistically to yield a much better response to treatment; at the very least, the patients enjoyed a better quality of life (Anticancer Research Volume 24 No. 5D, September – October 2004; pages 3474-3475 and 3617-3618). CT scan of a 63 year old patient with stage IV colon cancer metastatic to liver (left) shows a reduction in tumor size in about 4 months. Please see the review article in Nutrition & Cancer : An International Journal.
 

Unlike most other anti-cancer agents, IP-6 and Inositol themselves do not kill cancer cells; rather they tame the cancer cells to behave and look like normal cells (differentiation). While the cancer cells grow uncontrolled, the differentiated cells do not. The photomicrographs depict actual cancer cells. Because of IP-6 treatment, there are fewer cancer cells and the cells are more reddish-brown, expressing lactalbumin - a marker of normal breast cells. Note the dose-dependent increase in the expression of lactalbumin i.e., differentiation [Anticancer Research 16: 3287-3292, 1996].
 

Another manner by which IP-6 + Inositol combat cancer is by boosting the immune system. While IP-6 + Inositol themselves do not directly kill the cancer cells, there is a subset of T-lymphocytes called natural killer (NK) cells who do just that. And their ability to kill cancer cells is increased by IP-6 + Inositol. This bar-graph shows a simultaneous reduction of cancer and an enhancement of NK activity. Although IP-6 and Inositol individually reduce the incidence of cancer (black) and boost NK-cell activity (red), the combination of IP-6 + Inositol by far yields the best result [red bar going off the scale]. Source: Carcinogenesis 10: 1461-1463 & 1595-1598, 1989; US Patent #5,082,833, 1992. A more recent paper by Zhang et al confirms the ability of IP-6 to boost NK cell activity.