(FreedomBeacon.com)- Vitamin B3 may be a useful and inexpensive tool to fight skin cancer, protecting the skin from ultraviolet rays, according to The Epoch Times. In 2015, a study was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Australian scientists reportedly found that the vitamin was effective among 400 skin cancer patients.
Diona Damian, the leader of the research project in Australia and Professor of Dermatology at the University of Sydney said that the vitamin can be purchased for around $6.50 a month and is a safe preventative measure against cancer.
“This is a new opportunity for skin cancer prevention,” Peter Paul Yu, MD, president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) said, adding that it can help prevent the recurrence of the most common form of skin cancer.
There are two forms of skin cancer: non-melanoma and melanoma. The former is more common and affects Caucasians 18 to 20 times more than that of melanoma. These skin cancers are primarily caused by UV radiation, which is reportedly the cause of skin cancer development.
Radiation is a carcinogen promoting the development of tumors by “inducing mutation in tumor suppressor genes.” It can reportedly cause damage to DNA, genetic mutations, immunosuppression, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses, which in turn leads to photoaging, which is the wrinkling and damaging of the skin, and canceration of the skin.
Using sunscreen can help reduce the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma and long-term use can help the incidence of basal cell carcinoma and melanoma. But just sunscreen alone will not prevent skin cancer in those who are at high-risk.
Vitamin B3 can be used for cellular energy metabolism, which metabolizes sugar into adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The vitamin also protects against radiation damage and cancer induction. If DNA has been damaged by radiation, B3 reportedly promotes DNA repair by helping cells generate energy and reduces the multiplication of cancerous genes.
