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Research: LI and colleagues,
Listed in Issue 103
Abstract
LI and colleagues, Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA, haojie.li@channing.harvard.edu, have studied selenium levels in blood plasma and the risk of prostate cancer.
Background
Epidemiological studies suggest that low selenium levels in the blood are associated with an increased risk for prostate cancer. The results of different studies are however conflicting. In this investigation, the selenium levels pre diagnosis were compared among men enrolled in a larger health study.
Methodology
Selenium levels were determined in plasma samples obtained from healthy men in 1982. A nested case-controlled study was carried out among 586 men diagnosed with prostate cancer in the following 13 years, and 577 control subjects.
Results
The selenium levels before diagnosis with prostate cancer were inversely related to the incidence of prostate cancer, with the lowest quintile having about twice the risk of the highest quintile. This relationship between lowered selenium baseline and prostate cancer was only observed for men who showed elevated levels of Prostate Specific Antigen.
Conclusion
This study suggests that selenium can slow the course of prostate cancer development, but it remains unclear whether it can prevent it altogether.
References
Li H, Stampfer MJ, Giovannucci EL, Morris JS, Willett WC, Gaziano JM, Ma J. A prospective study of plasma selenium levels and prostate cancer risk. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 96 (9): 696-703, May 2004.
Comment
Again, a very interesting result, which, if replicated and verified and further investigated, could have enormous positive outcomes regarding prevention and possibly treatment of prostate cancer.
