We've noticed that you're using an ad blocker

Our content is brought to you free of charge because of the support of our advertisers. To continue enjoying our content, please turn off your ad blocker.

It's off now Dismiss How do I disable my ad blocker?
❌

How to disable your ad blocker for our site:

Adblock / Adblock Plus
  • Click on the AdBlock / AdBlock Plus icon on the top right of your browser.
  • Click “Don’t run on pages on this domain.” OR “Enabled on this site.”
  • Close this help box and click "It's off now".
Firefox Tracking Prevention
  • If you are Private Browsing in Firefox, "Tracking Protection" may casue the adblock notice to show. It can be temporarily disabled by clicking the "shield" icon in the address bar.
  • Close this help box and click "It's off now".
Ghostery
  • Click the Ghostery icon on your browser.
  • In Ghostery versions < 6.0 click “Whitelist site.” in version 6.0 click “Trust site.”
  • Close this help box and click "It's off now".
uBlock / uBlock Origin
  • Click the uBlock / uBlock Origin icon on your browser.
  • Click the “power” button in the menu that appears to whitelist the current website
  • Close this help box and click "It's off now".
  • ONCOLOGY
  • News
  • Blogs
  • Topics
  • Hematology
  • Image IQ
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Slideshows
  • Conferences

Modern Medicine Network
  • Login
  • Register
Skip to main content
Modern Medicine Network
  • Login
  • Register
Menu
User
Home
  • ONCOLOGY
  • News
  • Blogs
  • Topics
  • Hematology
  • Image IQ
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Slideshows
  • Conferences

SUBSCRIBE: Print / eNewsletter

Study Shows No Reduced Cancer Risk in Women From Average Selenium Intake

May 1, 1995
Volume: 
9
Issue: 
5
  • Ovarian Cancer

Unlike some animal, ecologic, case-control, and prospective studies
that have associated higher selenium levels with reduced cancer
risk, a large cohort study recently reported in the Journal
of the National Cancer Institute
found that selenium intake
(as reflected by toenail selenium levels) within the range typically
consumed by most women in the United States was not associated
with a reduced risk of several common cancers.

Miriam Garland, SCD, Harvard School of Public Health, led the
research team that analyzed toenail clippings (which may reflect
dietary selenium intake over the previous year or longer) obtained
from 62,641 women with no cancer history. All of the women were
participants in the Nurses' Health Study, and were aged 30 to
55 years at the study's inception in 1976.

The toenail clippings were requested from the cancer-free women
in 1982, and during 41 months of follow-up, 503 cases of cancer
other than breast cancer or nonmelanoma skin cancer were diagnosed.
For each cancer patient, a control subject was chosen from among
the women who remained free of diagnosed cancer, matched by age
and by date of nail return. In addition, toenail selenium data
from a previous study of 434 breast cancer patients and their
controls were included in some of the analyses.

For cancers at all sites combined (excluding breast cancer), case
and control subjects had similar mean toenail selenium levels,
and a nonsignificant positive association between selenium levels
and cancer risk (age- and smoking-adjusted) was found. Potentially
confounding factors were considered (eg, state of residence, weight
relative to height, aspirin use, intake of various dietary constituents,
reproductive variables, and variables related to hormone use and
melanoma risk), but none materially altered the results. In a
combined analysis, including the breast cancer study data, the
results were more weakly positive.

In the analyses by cancer site, toenail selenium level was not
associated with reduced cancer risk at any major site, including
uterine cancer, colorectal cancer, melanoma, ovarian cancer, or
lung cancer (after adjusting for smoking). In fact, nonsignificant
positive associations were observed for colorectal cancer, melanoma,
and for lung cancer. Relevant potential confounding factors were
considered for each of the cancer sites; inclusion of these factors
did not substantially alter the results, except that results for
colorectal and uterine cancer became more strongly positive, though
the trends were not statistically significant.

The authors conclude that the data provide evidence against the
hypothesis of an overall protective effect of selenium within
the range of intakes among women in the U.S. but acknowledge that
the implications of the observed positive associations are unclear.
In addition, they note that knowledge of selenium metabolism is
incomplete, and suggest further research in this area that may
help elucidate the biological basis for any relationship between
selenium and cancer risk.

In an accompanying editorial, Larry C. Clark, MPH, PhD, and David
S. Alberts, MD, Arizona Cancer Center, suggest that despite the
magnitude of this cohort study, interpretation of the results
is complicated by possible selenium status differences in population
subgroups with particular cancer risks from age, exposure or nutrient
status, changes in participants' toenail selenium levels over
time, and other factors. They believe, in light of conflicting
results from epidemiologic studies, that the findings from this
study should not be the sole basis upon which individual or public
health decisions are made. They emphasize the importance of prospective
clinical trials of selenium to address the issue of cancer prevention
directly.

Related Articles

  • Promising Personalized Ovarian Cancer Vaccine Induces Immune Responses
  • FDA Approves Rucaparib for Recurrent Ovarian Cancer Maintenance Therapy
  • PARP-7 Amplification Mutations Linked to Prolonged Survival in Ovarian Cancer
  • Trial Participation May Offset Disparities in Ovarian Cancer Care
  • Despite Evolving Treatment for Ovarian Cancer, Late Diagnosis Remains a Challenge

Resource Topics rightRail

  • Resource Topics
  • Partner Content
Breast Cancer
Lung Cancer
Prostate Cancer
Colorectal Cancer
Melanoma
Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphomas: Mycosis Fungoides and Sézary Syndrome
3 Keys to Success in the Oncology Care Model

Current Issue

Oncology Vol 32 No 4
Apr 15, 2018 Vol 32 No 4
Digital Edition
Subscribe
Connect with Us
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
Modern Medicine Network
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Advertiser Terms
  • Privacy statement
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Editorial & Advertising Policy
  • Editorial Board
  • Contact Us
Modern Medicine Network
© UBM 2018, All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited.