Oral nicotinamide (vitamin B3) treatment does not lead to a lower number of keratinocyte cancers or
actinic keratoses in organ transplant recipients, according to a study published in the New England
Journal of Medicine. Researchers randomly assigned organ-transplant recipients who had at least two
keratinocyte cancers in the past 5 years to receive 500 mg of nicotinamide or placebo twice daily for
12 months in the phase 3 trial. Dermatologists examined participants for skin lesions every 3 months for
12 months. Owing to poor recruitment, the trial was stopped early. A total of 207 and 210 new keratinocyte
cancers occurred in the nicotinamide group and placebo group at 12 months (rate ratio, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.8-1.3;
P=0.96). Squamous cell and basal cell carcinoma counts, actinic keratosis counts, and QOL scores did not
differ significantly between the groups. The two groups had similar adverse events and changes in blood
or urine variables.
