Q: I stopped smoking and want to do all I can to prevent lung cancer from developing. I heard that taking selenium supplements would protect me. How does selenium work?
Answer from Dr. Helen Ross, medical oncologist, The Oregon Clinic: We are not certain whether selenium reduces the rate of lung cancer or how it does that (if it does).
An uncontrolled study that took place in the 1980s showed a lower death rate from lung, colon and prostate cancer among people who took selenium supplements. Further research is currently being performed to determine whether selenium supplements are as effective as we hope. Participation in clinical trials of selenium supplementation is one way that patients who have had a lung cancer removed can help to answer the question.
Unfortunately, epidemiologic and pilot studies can sometimes overestimate the value of a particular treatment. For example, previous research on beta-carotene had suggested that it might reduce lung cancer risk, but results of two large, randomized controlled clinical trials showed that this was not the case and, in fact, beta-carotene supplementation increased the lung cancer risk for patients who continued to smoke.
Not enough research has been completed yet to know the answer to your question. We should know sometime in the near future as results from ongoing clinical trials become available.
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August 2002
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