Summary of the Nicotinamide & Skin Cancer Study
This article details a retrospective study investigating the effectiveness of nicotinamide (a form of Vitamin B3) in preventing skin cancer. HereS a breakdown of the key findings:
Key Findings:
* Reduced Skin Cancer Risk: Nicotinamide use was associated with a 14% reduction in new skin cancers compared to a control group.
* Stronger Effect After First Cancer: The protective effect was significantly stronger (a 54% reduction in risk) when supplementation began after a person’s first skin cancer diagnosis. This benefit diminished with multiple prior cancers.
* Squamous Cell Carcinoma Benefit: The most meaningful benefit was observed against squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), with a 22% reduced risk. The effect on basal cell carcinoma (BCC) was weaker and not statistically significant overall.
* Safety & Accessibility: nicotinamide is inexpensive, well-tolerated, and available over-the-counter, making it a potentially attractive preventative option compared to othre treatments like acitretin (which has significant side effects and requires monitoring) or topical field treatments (which can be painful and invasive).
* Potential for Unique Value: The study suggests nicotinamide may offer benefits in addition to other preventative treatments.
* Early Intervention Critically important: In solid organ transplant recipients (who are at high risk), nicotinamide was most effective when started after only one or two cancers.
Study Details:
* Study Type: Retrospective observational study. This means it cannot prove causation, but the results align with previous randomized controlled trials.
* Participants: Over 12,000 veterans prescribed nicotinamide 500mg twice daily for at least 30 days, matched with over 21,000 unexposed controls.
* Data Source: Veterans Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse.
* Follow-up: Researchers tracked over 23,000 new cancers (nearly 11,000 BCCs and 12,500 cSCCs).
Limitations:
* Observational Study: Cannot prove causation. A prospective clinical trial is planned to confirm the findings.
* Population: The study population was predominantly White, older men (U.S. veterans), which may limit generalizability to other populations.
* Potential Underestimation: Some control patients may have used nicotinamide outside of VA prescriptions,potentially underestimating the true effect.
this study provides further evidence supporting the potential of nicotinamide as a chemopreventive agent for skin cancer, notably squamous cell carcinoma, and highlights the importance of early intervention.
