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Is low selenium status a risk factor for lung cancer?
1National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
American Journal of Epidemiology
|November 26, 1998
Summary
Low selenium levels may increase lung cancer risk. This study found a 0.41 relative risk for lung cancer in the highest versus lowest selenium groups, especially with low alpha-tocopherol.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Nutritional Epidemiology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Low selenium status is hypothesized as a potential lung cancer risk factor.
- Serum samples from a large cohort were collected between 1968-1976.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between serum selenium levels and lung cancer risk.
- To explore modifying factors such as alpha-tocopherol, smoking, and other serum markers.
Main Methods:
- A nested case-control study design was employed within a longitudinal cohort.
- 95 lung cancer cases and 190 matched controls had serum selenium levels analyzed.
- Statistical adjustments were made for smoking, alpha-tocopherol, cholesterol, copper, orosomucoid, and BMI.
Main Results:
- The relative risk of lung cancer was 0.41 (95% CI 0.17-0.94) for the highest vs. lowest serum selenium tertiles.
- This inverse association was stronger with lower alpha-tocopherol levels (RR=0.24).
- The protective effect was more pronounced in current smokers with higher selenium levels (RR=0.16).
Conclusions:
- Findings support the hypothesis that very low selenium status may contribute to lung cancer risk.
- The interaction with alpha-tocopherol suggests a combined nutritional influence.
- Further research into selenium's role in lung carcinogenesis is warranted.