[The relationship between selenium and immunity in large bowel cancer]

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Immunology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Large bowel cancer is associated with lower serum selenium levels.
• Selenium's role in immune function and cancer development requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of selenium supplementation on immune status in patients with large bowel cancer.
• To explore the relationship between selenium levels and colorectal cancer.

Main Methods:

• Randomized controlled trial with 44 large bowel cancer patients.
• Measurement of serum selenium, T lymphocyte subsets (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD4/CD8), and NK/LAK cell activity pre- and post-operation.
• Analysis of selenium content in tumor and normal tissues.

Main Results:

• Selenium supplementation significantly increased serum selenium levels and enhanced T lymphocyte subsets (CD3, CD4, CD4/CD8) and NK/LAK cell activity.
• Tumor tissues showed significantly lower selenium levels compared to normal tissues.
• The therapeutic group demonstrated significant improvements in immune markers compared to the control group.

Conclusions:

• Selenium supplementation can promote cell-mediated immunity in humans, particularly in the context of large bowel cancer.
• Low selenium levels may be closely associated with the carcinogenesis of the colon and rectum.