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Posted on Jan 28, 2004, 12 p.m.
By Bill Freeman
Scientists have found that the mineral selenium may actually raise the risk of developing certain cancers. Dr James R Marshall, from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York, and colleagues studied 1312 patients with a history of non-melanoma skin cancer. Each participant was randomly assigned to receive daily supplementation with 200 micrograms of selenium or a placebo pill.
Scientists have found that the mineral selenium may actually raise the risk of developing certain cancers. Dr James R Marshall, from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York, and colleagues studied 1312 patients with a history of non-melanoma skin cancer. Each participant was randomly assigned to receive daily supplementation with 200 micrograms of selenium or a placebo pill. Results showed that the use of selenium supplements does not appear to prevent the recurrence of two types of skin cancer called basal cell and squamous cell cancer. In fact, participants assigned to take the selenium supplement were found to be 25% more likely to develop another type of skin cancer called squamous cell cancer.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: J Natl Cancer Inst 2003;95:1477-1481.
