Selenium or No Selenium: That Is the Question in Tumor Patients - A New Controversy

    May 2010 in “ Integrative Cancer Therapies ”
    Ralph Muecke, Lutz Schomburg, Jens Buentzel, Klaus Kisters, Oliver Micke, Electrolytes in Oncology—AKTE
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    TLDR There is no clear recommendation for using selenium in cancer patients; it may be beneficial to correct low selenium levels before treatment.
    The document reviews the role of selenium (Se) in cancer therapy, noting its essential function in selenoproteins production and antioxidant defense, and discusses the mixed results from studies on its supplementation. A 2009 trial indicated benefits of sodium selenite supplementation in gynecologic cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy, but two large trials (NPC and SELECT) raised concerns about an increased risk of type 2 diabetes with selenium use. The SELECT trial, in particular, was criticized for its design and inconclusive results regarding prostate cancer prevention and diabetes risk. The paper suggests that selenium status should be measured in tumor patients before and during therapy to maximize benefits and minimize side effects, and it emphasizes the need for more research to understand selenium's effects. The conclusion is that there is no general recommendation for or against selenium supplementation in cancer patients, but correcting a suboptimal selenium status before treatment is considered justified.
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