Is serum selenium a risk factor for cancer in men only?

Area of Science:

• Nutritional epidemiology
• Biomarkers of cancer risk
• Public health

Background:

• Serum selenium levels may influence cancer development.
• Previous research suggests a potential link between selenium and cancer risk, particularly in men.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between serum selenium concentrations and cancer mortality.
• To determine if selenium levels predict cancer risk in a Dutch population.

Main Methods:

• Nested case-control study within a prospective cohort of 10,532 individuals in the Netherlands.
• Serum samples collected 1975-1978, with follow-up until 1983.
• Matched controls (n=164) selected for cancer death cases (n=69), excluding first-year deaths.

Main Results:

• Men with the lowest quintile of serum selenium (<100.8 µg/L) had a 2.7-fold increased risk of cancer death (95% CI: 1.2-6.2).
• Mean serum selenium was significantly lower in male cancer deaths (116.7 µg/L) compared to controls (126.4 µg/L) (p=0.04).
• No significant association was observed between serum selenium levels and cancer mortality in women.

Conclusions:

• Low serum selenium levels are associated with an increased risk of cancer mortality in men.
• Findings suggest a potential sex-specific role for selenium in cancer risk.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this association.