Selenium & Lymphoma

Selenium is an essential trace mineral. It primarily functions in the body as a component of antioxidant enzymes. The American Cancer Society says that large observational studies demonstrate that in areas in which soil selenium content is high, cancer death rates are lower in comparison to areas that have low selenium content. The ACS reports that beyond observational studies, there is not enough scientific information on the efficacy of selenium supplementation for the treatment of any cancers to recommend it for cancer patients.

Lymphoma

Lymphoma refers to tumors that arise in white blood cells and are predominantly found in nodes of the lymphatic system. They are broadly classified into Hodgkin lymphomas and non-Hodgkin lymphomas. The National Cancer Institute, or NCI, estimates that the incidence of new cases of non-Hodgkin lymphomas in the United States in 2010 is 65,540. The NCI estimates that the incidence of new cases of Hodgkin lymphoma in the United States in 2010 is 8,490.

Predictive Factor

A study in the June 2003 issue of the "Journal of Clinical Oncology" reports that high serum concentrations of selenium in patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma were correlated with long-term remission after first cancer treatment and overall survival.

Preclinical Studies

A study in the May 2006 issue of "Annals of Oncology" reports that two selenium compounds, methylseleninic acid and selenodiglutathione, provoked cell death in cells from human lymphoma cancers. These experiments were conducted in the laboratory and not in humans.

Human Studies

A study in the March 2009 issue of "Biological Trace Element Research" confirms in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma that sodium selenite increases the killing of cancer cells. In this study, sodium selenite was administered alongside a standard chemotherapy regimen and acted synergistically to improve the clinical outcome of treatment. No other studies have confirmed theses effects of selenium supplements in patients with lymphoma.

Chemotherapy Toxicity

A clinical trial began in 2009 to evaluate the effects of a selenium supplement, se-methyl-seleno-L-cysteine in patients with B-cell lymphomas who were non-responsive to initial chemotherapy treatment or had relapsed. This study is investigating whether supplementation with selenium reduces the toxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs and therefore allows higher doses to be administered to kill the cancer. The ACS reports that the available evidence is currently incomplete and more research is required to determine whether selenium supplement might reduce side effects of chemotherapy.