Correlation between Selenium and Zinc Levels and Survival among Prostate Cancer Patients.

The most prevalent type of cancer among males is prostate cancer. Survival is considered quite good, but it can be further improved when risk factors are optimized. One of these factors is micronutrients, including Se and Zn. To our knowledge, the interaction between Se and Zn and prostate cancer remains undescribed. This study aimed to investigate the optimal levels of selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) and their impact on the survival of individuals diagnosed with prostate cancer. A total of 338 prostate cancer patients were enrolled in this study, which was conducted in Poland between 2009 and 2015. Mass spectrometry, which uses inductively coupled plasma mass, was used to assess serum element levels before treatment. The study participants were categorized into quartiles (QI-QIV) based on the distributions of Se and Zn levels observed among surviving participants. Cox regression was used to assess the association between serum Se and Zn levels and the survival of prostate cancer patients. Our results reveal the effect of combined Se and Zn levels on survival in prostate cancer patients (SeQI-ZnQI vs. SeQIV-ZnQIV; HR = 20.9). These results need further research to establish Se/Zn norms for different populations.

Serum Essential Elements and Survival after Cancer Diagnosis.

In a prospective study, we measured the associations between three serum elements (Se, Zn and Cu) and the prognosis of 1475 patients with four different types of cancer (breast, prostate, lung and larynx) from University Hospitals in Szczecin, Poland. The elements were measured in serum taken after diagnosis and prior to treatment. Patients were followed from the date of diagnosis until death from any cause or until the last follow-up date (mean years of follow-up: 6.0-9.8 years, according to site). Kaplan-Meier curves were constructed for all cancers combined and for each cancer separately. Age-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated using Cox regression. The outcome was all-cause mortality. A Se level in the highest quartile was also associated with a reduced mortality (HR = 0.66; 95%CI 0.49-0.88; p = 0.005) in all-cause mortality for all cancers combined. Zn level in the highest quartile was also associated with reduced mortality (HR = 0.55; 95%CI 0.41-0.75; p = 0.0001). In contrast, a Cu level in the highest quartile was associated with an increase in mortality (HR = 1.91; 95%CI 1.56-2.08; p = 0.0001). Three serum elements-selenium, zinc and copper-are associated with the prognosis of different types of cancer.

Influence of the selenium level on overall survival in lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Although the results of studies in populations with low selenium status indicate an inverse correlation between body selenium levels and the risk of the lung cancer, the effect of this microelement on survival has not been studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a prospective study of 302 patients diagnosed with lung cancer in Szczecin, Poland. Selenium concentration in serum was measured at the time of diagnosis and before treatment. All patients were followed for a maximum of 80 months or until death. Vital status was obtained from the Polish National Death Registry. RESULTS: Using Cox proportional hazard analysis, performed for all individuals with lung cancer, the hazard ratio (HR) for death from all causes was 1.25 (95% CI: 0.86-1.83, P = 0.99) for patients in the lowest tertile compared to those in the highest tertile of serum selenium levels. Among the patients with stage I disease this relationship was significant (HR-2.73; P = 0.01) for selenium level in tertile 1 (<57 µg/L) compared to tertile 3 (>69 µg/L, reference). The 80 months crude survival after diagnosis was 79.5% (95% CI: 68.5-92.4%) for individuals in the highest tertile and 58.1% (95% CI: 45.1-74.9%) for individuals in the lowest tertile with stage I lung cancer. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that in patients undergoing treatment for stage I lung cancer, serum selenium levels at the time of diagnosis (>69 µg/L) may be associated with improved overall survival.