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# Selenium reduces cancer risk, mortality in skin cancer patients
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/selenium_reduces_cancer_risk_mortality_in_skin_cancer_1112131028/
- Published: 2013-11-12T23:27:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:26:43.000Z
- Description: In a trial of 1,312 patients with a history of skin cancer, 200 mcg of selenium daily cut all-cause mortality 17%, total cancer deaths 50% and total cancer incidence 37%. It did not reduce new basal or squamous cell carcinomas.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Supplements, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

Tuesday Nov 12, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- A randomized controlled trial reported in JAMA found that selenium supplementation can reduce mortality of all causes and cancers in several sites including prostate cancer, lung cancer, and colorectal cancer in skin cancer patients.

Larry C. Clark and colleagues conducted the trial and found selenium supplementation was found able to decrease the risk of all-cause mortality by 17%, total cancer death risk by 50%, and total cancer incidence by 37%.

Selenium is an antioxidant and like many other antioxidants, selenium may potentially help prevent cancer and reduce risk of death from all causes and cancer per se. The current study was intended to examine the association between selenium supplementation and risk of cancer and death risk from all causes and cancer based on data from a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled cancer prevention clinical trial conducted in the eastern United States.

In the trial, 1,312 patients at a mean age of 63 years ranging from 18 to 80 years who had a history of basal cell carcinomas or squamous cell carcinomas of the skin were assigned to take 200 μg of selenium per day or placebo for a mean of 4.5 years and followed for a total of 6.4 years.

Of the patients, 377 new cases of basal cell carcinomas were diagnosed in those receiving selenium, compared with 350 cases among those receiving placebo. That is, there was no significant difference between the study group and the control group. Similarly, no significant difference between the two groups was found for new squamous cell carcinomas.

However, those taking selenium supplements did reduce all-cause mortality, total cancer mortality, incidence of all cancers, lung cancer, colorectal cancer and prostate cancer, compared with those taking placebo.

As evidence showed up to suggest that selenium supplements provide anti-cancer benefits, this trial was terminated earlier than scheduled.

The study concluded "Selenium treatment did not protect against development of basal or squamous cell carcinomas of the skin. However, results from secondary end-point analyses support the hypothesis that supplemental selenium may reduce the incidence of, and mortality from, carcinomas of several sites." (David Liu, PHD)