[Relation between selenium and cancer of uterine cervix]

Selenium (Se) concentration in serum, hair, normal cervix tissue or tissue of cervix cancer of 20 cases with cancer of uterine cervix (survey group), 21 with myoma of the uterus and 1 with cervical polys (control group), but also in rice, water and soil in the high and low incidence areas of cervical cancer was determined. The results showed that Se concentration in serum and cancer tissue of uterine cervix in patients with cancer of uterine cervix was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05), but no significant difference of Se concentration in hair was observed (P > 0.05), However Se concentration in rice, water and soil in the high incidence areas of cervical cancer was significantly lower than that in the low incidence areas (P < 0.05). Se deficiency may play a role in the carcinogenesis of uterine cervix.