Nicotinamide for Skin-Cancer Chemoprevention in Transplant Recipients.

Background: Immunosuppressed organ-transplant recipients have an increased incidence of, and mortality from, skin cancer. Nicotinamide (vitamin B) enhances the repair of ultraviolet (UV) radiation-induced DNA damage, reduces the cutaneous immunosuppressive effects of UV radiation, and reduces the incidence of keratinocyte cancers (including squamous-cell and basal-cell carcinomas) and actinic keratoses among high-risk immunocompetent patients. Whether oral nicotinamide is useful for skin-cancer chemoprevention in organ-transplant recipients is unclear.

Nicotinamide for photoprotection and skin cancer chemoprevention: A review of efficacy and safety.

Nicotinamide is a water-soluble vitamin B3 derivative that has many roles in medicine. This review examines the role of nicotinamide in dermatology and its actions in preventing photoageing and skin cancers in humans. Nicotinamide prevents ultraviolet radiation (UV) from reducing ATP levels and inhibiting glycolysis, thus preventing the UV radiation-induced energy crisis.