Selenium and colorectal cancer risk

A recent study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute has found that selenium intake may be related to a decreased risk of colorectal cancer. Researchers combined data from three randomized trials - the Wheat Bran Fiber trial, the Polyp Prevention Trial, and the Polyp Prevention Study - which tested the effects of various nutrients for colorectal adenoma prevention among patients who had recently had an adenoma removed. Although adenomas themselves are not cancerous, they are generally predictive of colorectal cancer incidence. Analysis of this combined data showed that the group of individuals with the highest blood selenium levels had a significantly lower likelihood of developing a new adenoma compared with those in the lowest intake group. The association between higher selenium levels and reduced adenoma recurrence supports previous research indicating that higher selenium levels may be related to a decreased risk of developing colorectal cancer.