Selenium reverses pre-cancerous cells

Posted on Mon, 25 Apr 16

Selenium supplementation has been shown to regress potentially pre-cancerous cervical changes while improving metabolic profiles and antioxidant capacity, suggesting it could be a safe and effective therapy. 

Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) is a potentially pre-cancerous cell change that may naturally regress but can  also progress to cancer in 30-50% of cases. One potential strategy for reducing cancer development is selenium supplementation, but until now this had not been studied in women with CIN. 

Selenium may reduce cancer by a number of mechanisms, including protection against oxidative DNA damage. Further, a relationship between low serum selenium levels and CIN or cervical cancer has been found suggesting low selenium intake may increase risk.

To see if long-term selenium supplementation could regress CIN, women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1 were given 200mcg of selenium (as selenomethionine from selenium enriched yeast) daily for 6-months. 

After the 6-months 88% of women had regressed CIN compared to 56% in the placebo group. Selenium supplementation also significantly decreased fasting plasma glucose levels, serum insulin levels, insulin resistance values, VLDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and malondialdehyde levels (a marker of oxidative stress). Further, selenium significantly increased HDL-cholesterol, plasma total antioxidant capacity and glutathione levels.

Thus supplementation with selenium may be an effective strategy for regressing pre-cancerous CIN while improving antioxidant status, cardiovascular risk factors and blood glucose regulation.

Reference: 

Karamali M, Nourgostar S, Zamani A, et al. The favourable effects of long-term selenium supplementation on regression of cervical tissues and metabolic profiles of patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Br J Nutr. 2015 Dec 28;114(12):2039-45.