High selenium linked to lower risk of bladder cancer
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Intake of sufficient selenium may help cut the risk of bladder cancer, according to a new study published in the September issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Núria Malats, M.D., Ph.D., leader of the Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology Group, Human Cancer Genetics Program, Spanish National Cancer Research Center and colleagues, found the reduction in the risk of bladder cancer can be as much as 39 percent.
"The lower the levels of selenium, the higher the risk of developing bladder cancer," said Malats.
Selenium as a micro-nutrient is known to be incorporated into about 25 proteins - selenoproteins, most of which are enzymes with antioxidant properties that help protect against cellular damage induced by oxidation byproducts.
Malats and colleagues found the association between selenium levels in serum and toenails with bladder cancer risk after meta-analysing data from studies of subjects from the United States, Belgium, Finland and the Netherlands.
The researchers noted a significant effect was mainly observed among women, which they believe may be due to the gender-specific differences in the mineral's accumulation and excretion in women.
High levels of serum selenium have been linked to a series of health benefits including lower risk of skin cancer, diabetes, liver cancer and prostate cancer, among other diseases.
Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain why high selenium is linked with a lowered risk of a few cancers. Selenium may maximize antioxidant selenoenzymes, improve immune system function, affect the metabolism of carcinogens, increase output of selenium metabolites that inhibit tumor growth, and affect apoptosis and DNA repair.
Food consumers, particularly older ones, should make sure they incorporate a sufficient amount of various nutrients to protect against a variety of cancers. Half of American men and one third of American women are expected to be diagnosed with one cancer or another, sooner or later.
It should be noted that at least one study published in the Journal of Nutrition has found that higher levels of serum selenium were associated with higher levels of cholesterol.
Selenium is high in Brazil nuts produced from selenium-rich soil, shrimp, crab meat, salon, halibut, brown rice, and whole wheat bread. Supplemental selenium is also available.
David Liu and editing by Rachel Stockton
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