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Toenail selenium and breast cancer-a case-control study in Finland
S Männistö1, G Alfthan, M Virtanen
1National Public Health Institute, Department of Nutrition, Mannerheimintie 166, Helsinki, Finland.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|March 1, 2000
Summary
Selenium supplementation in Finland increased food selenium levels. A decade later, toenail selenium was examined, finding no significant association with breast cancer risk in pre- or postmenopausal women.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Epidemiology
- Environmental Health
- Oncology
Background:
- Low selenium levels are linked to increased cardiovascular disease and cancer risk.
- Finland implemented selenium fertilization in 1984 to address low dietary selenium concentrations.
- This initiative resulted in some of the highest food selenium levels in Europe.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between toenail selenium levels and breast cancer risk.
- To evaluate the impact of selenium supplementation on breast cancer etiology in a Finnish population.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted in Eastern Finland.
- Included 289 breast cancer cases (pre- and postmenopausal) and 433 community controls.
- Toenail selenium concentration was measured, with diagnoses unknown at sample collection.
Main Results:
- Mean toenail selenium concentrations were similar between cases and controls for both premenopausal and postmenopausal women.
- The odds ratio for breast cancer comparing the highest to lowest toenail selenium quintiles was not significant (OR=1.1 premenopausal, OR=0.7 postmenopausal).
- Concomitant intake of vitamins A, E, and C did not alter the observed association.
Conclusions:
- A decade after selenium supplementation, selenium does not appear to be a significant factor in breast cancer etiology.
- Findings suggest no link between toenail selenium levels and breast cancer risk in the Finnish population studied.