On January 24, 2026, news from Drugs.com indicated that a new large-scale study has found a common over-the-counter vitamin supplement may play a role in preventing certain types of skin cancer.

Research and Analysis

Researchers analyzed the health records of more than 33,800 U.S. veterans diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer, and found that those who took nicotinamide—a form of vitamin B3 supplement—had a significantly lower risk of developing new skin cancer lesions.

These findings were recently published in JAMA Dermatology.

Nicotinamide, a derivative of niacin, has been investigated as a potential agent for inhibiting cancer development. However, data regarding its efficacy has remained limited.

This new study focused on two types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). These two forms of non-melanoma skin cancer arise in different layers of the skin respectively.

They are the most common skin cancers in the United States. While they can occur anywhere on the body, they are most frequently found on sun-exposed areas such as the face, head, neck, hands, and arms.

Study Findings

Overall, the study showed that patients who took 500 milligrams of nicotinamide daily for at least one month had a 14% lower incidence of new skin cancers compared with those who did not take the supplement.

The protective effect was most pronounced when patients started taking the supplement early after their initial skin cancer diagnosis:

Among patients who began using nicotinamide immediately after being diagnosed with their first skin cancer, the incidence of new skin cancers dropped by 54%.

In contrast, the protective benefit diminished when individuals started taking nicotinamide only after developing multiple skin cancers.

The greatest benefit was observed for squamous cell carcinoma, which is generally more aggressive than basal cell carcinoma.

The study compared 12,287 patients who used nicotinamide with 21,479 patients who did not. The majority of participants were male veterans with a mean age of 77 years. Researchers controlled for factors including age, gender, and race, while also accounting for special populations such as patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia or organ transplant recipients requiring immunosuppressive therapy.

Analysis of Solid Organ Transplant Recipients

Researchers conducted a separate analysis on solid organ transplant recipients, a population at extremely high risk of skin cancer. Overall, nicotinamide use was not found to reduce their cancer risk; however, initiating nicotinamide treatment in the early post-transplant period was associated with a decreased incidence of squamous cell carcinoma.

Researchers' Conclusions

The findings suggest that nicotinamide supplementation can reduce the risk of skin cancer, with the most significant effects seen when treatment is started early.

They noted that unlike other anti-cancer agents—such as the irritant fluorouracil or retinoids which may cause side effects like liver failure—nicotinamide does not require laboratory monitoring and is available over the counter for unrestricted purchase and use.

Study Authors' Perspectives

"Currently, there are no clinical guidelines outlining when to initiate nicotinamide supplementation for skin cancer prevention in the general population," stated study author Dr. Lee Wheless in a press release. Dr. Wheless is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Dermatology and Internal Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and also practices at the VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System in Nashville, Tennessee.

He added, "These results have the potential to revolutionize our approach to treatment—shifting from the current paradigm of initiating intervention only after patients develop multiple skin cancers to adopting earlier preventive strategies. Further research is needed to identify which patients will truly benefit, as only approximately half of patients go on to develop multiple skin cancers."