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Research: HELZLSOUER and colleagues
Listed in Issue 67
Abstract
HELZLSOUER and colleagues, Department of Epidemiology, The Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA, Khelzlso@jhsph.edu, commented on the association between alpha- tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, selenium, and prostate cancer .
Background
Selenium and alpha-tocophero l appear to have a protective effect against prostate cancer. However the role of gamma-tocopherol, a major component of vitamin E preparations, has not been investigated .
Methodology
This was a nested case-control study . In 1989, 10,456 men donated blood for a specimen bank. Of these, 145 were found to have developed prostate cancer later. Toenail and plasma samples of 117 of them were obtained and compared with samples from 233 control subjects. Selenium, alpha-tocopherol, and gamma-tocopherol were measured in the samples. The association between the micronutrient concentrations and the development of prostate cancer was assessed by conditional logistic regression analysis.
Results
The risk of developing prostate cancer decreased with increasing alpha-tocopherol concentrations. For gamma-tocopherol, men in the highest fifth of the distribution had a fivefold lower risk of developing prostate cancer as compared to the lowest fifth. The association between selenium and prostate cancer was in the protective direction . Statistically significant protective associations for high levels of selenium and alpha-tocopherol were only observed when gamma-tocopherol concentrations were also high .
Conclusion
The use of combined alpha- and gamma-tocopherol supplements should be considered in prostate cancer prevention.
References
Helzlsouer KJ, Huang HY, Alberg AJ, Hoffman S, Burke A, Norkus EP, Morris JS, Comstock GW. Association between alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, selenium, and subsequent prostate cancer. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 92 (24): 2018-23. Dec 2000.
Comment
This research demonstrating the decreasing risk of developing prostate cancer associated with vitamin E and selenium levels is yet another promising confirmation of a considerable body of literature already published in this area. Even more important is that it emanates from Johns Hopkins and that is published in the NCI's (National Cancer Institute) own journal. Let us now start to see the implementation of this information into clinical oncology practice.
