Selenium Shows No Benefit in Prevention of Lung Cancer
From University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Selenium, a supplement taken daily by millions in hopes of protection against cancer and a host of other diseases, has proven to be of no benefit in reducing a patient’s risk of developing lung cancer - either a recurrence or second primary malignancy, according to results of an international Phase III clinical trial.
“Several epidemiological and animal studies have long-suggested a link between deficiency of selenium and cancer development,” said Karp, the study’s principal investigator. “Interest and research escalated in the late 1990’s after a skin cancer and selenium study, published in 1996, found no benefit against the skin cancer, but did suggest an approximate 30 percent reduction of prostate and lung cancers. Our lung cancer research and another major study for the prevention of prostate cancer evolved from that finding.”