Inexpensive B Vitamin Protects Against Common Skin Cancers

Ask people about common cancers and most people name the big killers–cancer of the lung, colon and rectum, breast, prostate, pancreas, liver or blood. In truth, skin cancers are more common than any other cancer. In fact, there are far more cases of basal and squamous cell skin cancers diagnosed each year (3.5 million cases) than the top 10 cancers combined.

One of the reasons that non-melanoma skin cancers don’t get much respect is that they are usually treatable and are not life threatening when caught early enough. But because they frequently occur on the face, nose, ears, lips, neck and hands, they may require careful surgery by a dermatologist or plastic surgeon. That means they can be expensive and, if widespread, disfiguring.

Vitamin B3 to the Rescue

A study from Australia is capturing headlines this week because it has suggested that a simple and inexpensive B vitamin (B3, also known as nicotinomide) can dramatically reduce both basal and squamous skin cancers.

There’s a reason the Aussies are very interested in skin cancer. There is a LOT of sun in the land down under. Nearly half the population will get non-melanoma skin cancers over a lifetime.

Dermatologists at the University of Sydney have just reported on their ONTRAC (Oral Nicotinamide To Reduce Actinic Cancer) trial. Researchers recruited 386 people with a history of non-melanoma skin cancer. When someone is diagnosed with basal or squamous skin cancer there is a very good likelihood that there will be recurrences or new skin cancers in succeeding years. The patients in this study had an average of eight cancers over the five years preceding the start of the trial.

Patients were randomized to receive either placebo or 500 mg of nicotinamide orally twice a day. The study lasted one year. Those getting vitamin B3 were less likely to develop skin cancer or pre-cancerous lesions called actinic keratoses. In particular, squamous cell cancers were reduced by nearly one third.

During a press conference held at the ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) meetings where the study was presented, the president of the organization, Peter Yu, MD, declared that vitamin B3 was a “major advance” in prevention:

“With this study, we have a remarkably simple and inexpensive way to help people avoid repeat diagnoses of some of the most common skin cancers. With just a daily vitamin pill, along with sun protection and regular skin cancer screenings, people at high risk for these types of skin cancers have a good preventive plan to follow.”

Bottom Line:

Vitamins have taken a drubbing in recent years. Many health professionals insist that taking a vitamin is a waste of time and money and that we should get all our nutrients from food. This Australian study suggests that at least in this case a vitamin can have significant health benefits. When the president of an organization like ASCO states unequivocally that a vitamin is a major advance against cancer, we need to pay attention.

Please keep in mind that this was a study that specifically examined the effects of vitamin B3 in high-risk individuals (those who had already been diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer). Whether it will protect the rest of us remains to be determined. Nevertheless, there is reason to believe that nicotinamide might prevent skin cancer or reduce progression of cancer by enhancing DNA repair and improving the immune function of the skin (Journal of Investigative Dermatology, online, Feb. 2, 2012).

Given that nicotinamide costs less than $10 a month and is very safe, it may turn into one of our more useful cancer preventive strategies.