Vitamin B3 can reduce skin cancer development
Discovering an effective vitamin B3-based treatment for reducing skin cancer in Veterans
A VA study has shed new light on the effectiveness of nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3, in reducing skin cancer development.
The study involved over 12,000 patients over 25 years who had previously been exposed to nicotinamide, the dietary supplement, and had at least one prior type of skin cancer. This large sample size helped the research team perform a comprehensive analysis, using factors like demographics and the number of skin cancers Veterans had.
“Not only did we find an overall 14% reduced risk of developing new skin cancers… but we also discovered that patients who started nicotinamide after their first skin cancer saw a 54% reduction in the rate of new skin cancers,” said Dr. Lee Wheless, a VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System staff physician and Vanderbilt University assistant professor of dermatology.
Previous research showed that Veterans have about a 70% increased risk of developing skin cancers compared to non-Veterans. According to Wheless, Veterans are a very high-risk population when it comes to dermatological conditions.
“This is an important study for Veterans given the large number who work in jobs that have significant sun exposure or other risk factors for skin cancer,” Associate Chief of Staff of Research and Development Dr. Stokes Peebles said. “There are very few interventions which can reduce the risk of recurrent cancer by such a large percentage.”
The future of skin cancer treatment
Given the increased risk of skin cancer among Veterans, this study highlights the potential for affordable treatment options.
“We have patients that can get over 100 skin cancers, and that’s a lot of individual cancers to be treating, a lot of surgeries, and a lot of time healing from all,” Wheless said. “If we can reduce the rate of skin cancers by 50%, if a patient normally is getting, say 10 skin cancers per year… That’s five fewer surgeries and a major impact on that patient’s life.”
Looking ahead, Dr. Wheless wants to advance precision medicine in skin cancer treatment, ensuring the right treatment reaches the right patient at the right time.
“We’re really hopeful that we can reduce the number of skin cancers that we see in VA system,” he added.
It’s never too late to apply for VA health care you’ve earned. If you are a Veteran or know a Veteran who has not yet applied for their VA health care benefits, learn how to get started.
This article was originally published on the VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System and has been edited for style and clarity.
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