Vitamin B3 could help prevent skin cancer, according to a new finding from Australian researchers. This new study could pave the way for new, affordable treatments for people stricken with this class of diseases.
Researchers examined both basal and squamous cell cancers in patients who had experienced these diseases in the past. These are the most common forms of skin cancer, but they are rarely fatal. However, they are difficult to remove and frequently come back following radiation treatments or surgery. Melanoma, the most dangerous form of cancer, was not examined in the current study.
A total of 386 people who were diagnosed with skin cancer two or more times in the five years prior to the study were examined. Patients were randomly assigned either 1,000 milligrams of the vitamin or a placebo drug each day for 12 months in a double-blind study.
Skin cancer risk was found to be reduced by 23 percent from regular consumption of the vitamin. Intake of B3 was also found to reduce the reappearance of the diseases in the subjects involved in the study. Actinic keratoses, scaly patches of skin that can lead to cancer, were reduced by 11 percent in three months and 20 percent in nine months among the group taking the vitamin. Just six months after vitamin intake was halted, cancer risks returned to previous levels.
"The benefit wears off fairly quickly. You need to continue taking the tablets for them to continue to be effective," Diona Damian from the Dermatology University of Sydney in Australia said.
Also known nicotinamide, this form of vitamin B3 was found to provide greater protection against the diseases than other varieties of the nutrient, such as niacin, without major side effects. Certain vitamins have shown promise before at treating specific types of cancer, but some forms of the nutrients appear to increase risks from the diseases.
If this finding is confirmed, it could lead the way to inexpensive methods of treating patients at risk for the common skin cancers.
"At the moment, it's not something for the general population. We must always remember the basics of sun-sensible behaviors [avoiding over-exposure to sunlight and using sunscreen]," Damian said.
Researchers in the study are not suggesting that people run out and stock up on the vitamin, especially if they have no history of the conditions. Many doctors and health care professionals are stating they want to see additional evidence before they start recommending consumption of vitamin B3 to their patients suffering from the most common forms of skin cancer.
Although nicotinamide can be found for sale, it is usually prepackaged in B complex vitamins containing niacin, which can result in side effects, including flushing, blood pressure issues and headaches.
Photo: Traci Lawson | Flickr
