Vitamin B3 therapy may prevent deadly skin cancer, finds study

New research finds that Vitamin B3, which enhances DNA repair and modulates the inflammatory environment produced by UV rays, may help prevent melanoma.

According to new research, therapy using a form of Vitamin B3 can potentially prevent melanoma – a deadly skin cancer.

Researchers from University of Sydney in Australia found that nicotinamide can help reduce or reverse DNA damage, inflammation, and immunosuppression caused by ultraviolet radiation. The cost of nicotinatimide is about $10 per month (Rs 600 approx) if taken at one gramme per day as recommended, researchers said.

Randomised placebo controlled trials are now warranted to determine its efficacy and safety for melanoma prevention, they said.

Vitamin B3 also reduces ultra-violet rays-induced immunosuppression.

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) causes DNA damage in melanocytes by producing photolesions such as cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers and 8-oxo-7-hydrodeoxyguanosine. The production of reactive oxygen species by UVR also induces inflammatory cytokines that, together with the inherent immunosuppressive properties of UVR, propagate carcinogenesis, researchers said.

“Nicotinamide has been shown to reduce the incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer in high-risk individuals, in a clinical trial, and it would be worthwhile to determine whether it would also be useful for high-risk melanoma patients,” said Gary Halliday from University of Sydney.

The study was published in the Photodermatology, Photoimmunology and Photomedicine.

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