Effect of Nicotinamide Cream in Preventing Skin Cancer
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Reviewed & Translated by Dat Tien Nguyen, B.A, ScM.
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Posted on November 3rd, 2025
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Previous clinical trials have suggested that nicotinamide supplementation may help prevent skin cancer; however, these studies were limited by small sample sizes. To further investigate its effectiveness, a large-scale study funded by the US government evaluated the use of topical nicotinamide in skin cancer prevention.
This retrospective cohort study analyzed electronic health records from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs collected between 1999 and 2024. The dataset included over 33,000 individuals with a mean age of 77 years. Among them, more than 12,000 had used nicotinamide cream (500 mg, twice daily) for at least 30 days. The findings showed that nicotinamide use was associated with a 14% reduction in overall skin cancer risk. Among individuals with a prior history of skin cancer, nicotinamide cream reduced the risk of recurrence by 56%. The protective effect was consistent for both basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
The authors noted several limitations. The study population primarily consisted of older Caucasian men, limiting generalizability. Additionally, since nicotinamide cream is available over the counter, some individuals classified as unexposed may have used it without documentation, potentially leading to exposure misclassification.
This retrospective cohort study analyzed electronic health records from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs collected between 1999 and 2024. The dataset included over 33,000 individuals with a mean age of 77 years. Among them, more than 12,000 had used nicotinamide cream (500 mg, twice daily) for at least 30 days. The findings showed that nicotinamide use was associated with a 14% reduction in overall skin cancer risk. Among individuals with a prior history of skin cancer, nicotinamide cream reduced the risk of recurrence by 56%. The protective effect was consistent for both basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
The authors noted several limitations. The study population primarily consisted of older Caucasian men, limiting generalizability. Additionally, since nicotinamide cream is available over the counter, some individuals classified as unexposed may have used it without documentation, potentially leading to exposure misclassification.