Emerging evidence suggests that taking a common over-the-counter form of vitamin B3 could reduce the risk of new skin cancers in people who have already faced the disease. Nicotinamide, a supplement frequently recommended by doctors, has shown potential to shield cells from UV-related damage and may lessen the chance of cancer returning.
Researchers analyzed health records from roughly 34,000 US Veterans Affairs patients. Among them, more than 12,000 were prescribed 500 milligrams of nicotinamide twice daily for at least one month. Those on the supplement experienced a 14% lower risk of developing skin cancer overall. The benefit appeared larger for individuals with a prior history of skin cancer (about 54% reduction) and for a common type called cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.
The study, published in JAMA Dermatology, could influence how clinicians discuss prevention with patients. Dr. Lee Wheless, a co-author and dermatology and medicine professor at Vanderbilt University, noted that guidelines for initiating nicotinamide therapy in the general population are not yet established. He said the results might shift practice toward starting the supplement earlier rather than after a patient has developed multiple lesions.
Interestingly, the data did not show a meaningful risk reduction for kidney transplant recipients, a group with weakened immune systems. Nevertheless, beginning nicotinamide early still correlated with a lower incidence of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in this subgroup as well. Wheless emphasized the need for better predictors to identify who will truly benefit, since only about half of patients tend to develop multiple skin cancers.
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